Squall's Sister
by Gunblade Girl
Summary: Squall always lived by himself so when Laguna tells him he got a twin sister, he hurries to find her. After she comes to Garden, some strange things start occuring. Coincidence or is she responsible?
1. Prologue: Surprise

Prologue: Search ****

Squall's Sister

Prologue: Surprise

Rinoa was walking on Deling City's main street like she was doing sometimes. She was walking, looking for nothing special in this morning. She wasn't thinking about anything either, something unusual to her, usually always thinking about Squall. Not this day, she was just walking, enjoying the city full of life.

Drifting in her own little world, she wasn't really paying attention where she was going so she bumped on someone. By the time she came back to the real world, the person had past. She didn't even think of apologizing. A sudden flash of the person's face her brain had recorded by itself made her stop her walk.

"Hey! That was Squall!"

She turned round, ready to run after the boy and ask him why he didn't say he was there when she stopped after putting a second glance at the person.

"It's not Squall, he doesn't dress like that! Besides it's a girl!" she noticed better looking at the quite thin but still feminine form. 

The girl had long dirty hair the exact same color that Squall's. Rinoa wondered how she could have misunderstood her beloved handsome face for that dirty stranger girl's. Thinking it was quite funny, she headed for the car renting shop. She wanted to tell Squall about this. She wanted to see him anyway, so she was just using that situation as an excuse.

"Squall, I just saw your twin except it's a girl!" she giggled on her way.

Meanwhile, Squall was in the Headmaster's office. Laguna has paid a special visit to tell him something really weird. Quistis was there too, along with Xu and Seifer who was back for a while. He was working in the Garden to make himself forgiven for everything he has done.

Laguna was standing immobile with his mouth a little open from surprise as his eyes were on the paper he was holding without really seeing it.

"Why did you have to come all the way here, Laguna?" Squall asked, not used to call his father that way.

Laguna shook his head as he held out the paper to Squall, the same strange surprised expression on his face.

"You…you better read yourself…"

Squall frown from curiosity as he roughly took the paper Laguna was about to let go. He started reading.

"Mister President, we are glad you chose us to help you in your search for your wife long ago. Let us say again how sorry we are for her death. We hope the other information we gave you permitted you to finally find your son…"

Squall looked at Laguna and raised an eyebrow.

"I started researches long ago to find Raine when I learned she wasn't in Winhill anymore." He explained. "I'm just sorry my search lead me to her death… The persons I hired to do that job told me I had a son that have been send to an orphanage after

Raine's death. I asked them to pursue the research to find him. In fact, I found you first. Apparently, I forgot to tell them and they kept gathering information. Keep reading."

Squall put his eyes back on the paper.

"We now have something important to tell you. After all those years, we learned

you got a daughter too…" Squall paused, not believing his own eyes before continuing. "When we asked the people from Winhill, just a few knew about her but everybody thought she was dead. Since you know your wife died after giving birth to your son, we suppose you conclude that…they are twins…"

There Squall stopped. Not that the letter ended there, but because he couldn't read anymore. He looked in front of him but wasn't seeing anything. Suddenly, his legs gave way beneath him and he ended up sitting on the ground, still holding the paper in his hand. Thinking he was about to faint, Quistis, Cid, Laguna and Xu ran to him while Seifer crossed his arms on his chest in complete indifference.

"Squall you okay?" Quistis asked with concern.

"You okay, boy?" Cid inquired grabbing Squall's arm with Laguna to make him stand up.

His legs were like marshmallow. He couldn't stand up so they gave up and let him there. They all sat by his side.

"How do you feel?" Xu asked ready to do what could be needed.

Squall opened his mouth but nothing came out. He tried again and something was pronounced.

"I…I got a sister…" he said in an almost inaudible voice.


	2. Search

Chapter1: Search ****

Chapter1: Search

"Squall?" Zell asked Rinoa. "He's in the Headmaster's office. Laguna wanted to see him."

"Really? Well, thanks, Zell!!"

"You're..." he started but Rinoa was already gone. "…welcome."

He shrugged and headed for the cafeteria when he heard his stomach growling it was time to eat some hotdogs.

Rinoa went to the elevator and reached the third floor. She saw everyone sitting on the floor except Seifer and she spotted Squall in the middle of the group.

"Hey! You're on a picnic?" she joked, not paying attention to the faces they were showing.

Noticing nobody was laughing from her joke, she glanced at the gang. 

"What's wrong?" she asked starting to worry.

She turned to Squall when the others got up.

"What on Earth are you doing, Squall? Get up!"

"Give him a while, Rinoa," Quistis said.

"What's wrong? What happened? Nothing serious I hope!"

As nobody answered her, she went to Squall and grabbed his arm to force him up but he didn't move. She put her fists on her hips and looked at him, frowning.

"Speak up! WHAT-IS-GOING-ON??"

"Would you shut up already?" Seifer spoke for the first time. "Can't you see he's shocked? Give him a break!!"

Quistis put a hand on Rinoa's shoulder seeing Seifer's words have hurt her after granting Seifer an angry look.

"He was rude, but right, Rinoa," she said. "Squall just learned something pretty hard to swallow up. Give him a few minutes."

Rinoa finally gave up questioning and decided Squall would tell her what he could have learned to make him like that once he feels like it. She sat down by his side and wrapped her arm around his shoulders.

"Alright, take your time."

She slapped her forehead as remembering why she came in the first place.

"Oh yeah! I forgot! Squall, there is something really weird I want to tell you. Before coming, I was walking in Deling and I saw somebody that looked just like you. The hair were the same color than yours, the eyes too…"

Squall slowly turned his head to her as he started coming back from the surprise.

"It was your twin, believe me…except it was a girl, though."

She just finished her sentence Squall jumped up and roughly grabbed her arm to force her up. He took her by the shoulders and looked right in her eyes, something in his eyes scaring Rinoa.

"Where??" he asked loudly. "When??"

Rinoa grimaced from the pain and tried to move away from Squall's tight grip.

"Let go, you're hurting me!" she complained.

Squall freed her with an apologize before asking again.

"As I told you," Rinoa answered. "Just before coming here about half an hour ago, maybe more. I was walking on Deling's main street when she past by me. Why?"

He handled her the paper and without a word, she started reading. Her eyes widened up as she came to the main point of the letter.

"A twin sister?" she said so low only Squall heard her. 

He grabbed her wrist and pulled her to the elevator.

"Where are we going?"

"Deling City!"

It was the third time they were walking through the main street and no sign of Squall's presumed twin. Deciding not to give up, Squall turned to face Rinoa.

"You sure she was looking like me?"

It was too much coincidence. He just learned he had a twin sister and Rinoa probably saw her meanwhile. He couldn't believe in such luck.

"Yes, I'm positive. It was a while ago, maybe she left." She suggested. "After all, I never saw her before!"

"You haven't been here for a while either. With your resistance group and the Sorceress story…"

Squall stopped when he remembered in a flash that Rinoa was a Sorceress too. She just shrugged.

"Besides she looked like she was in a hurry," she said.

Squall just looked around without saying a thing. Seeing how much he wanted to find that girl, she came up with an idea.

"Maybe we can ask if somebody saw her," she suggested.

Squall's eyes shone while he silently thank her for helping him with something that wasn't really her business. He was the one who took her to Deling, but once there she could have left him anytime. But she didn't. Dear Rinoa, sweet Rinoa always there to help him.

"Anything involving you is my business, Squall," she said with a smile reading his mind.

"Thanks, Rinoa."

"Forget it. Now I suggest we split and ask people separately about the girl. Let's meet in front of Galbadia Hotel in one, no two hours? What do you say?"

"Sounds good to me."

"Let's do that then."

They split, going opposite ways. Rinoa looked at Squall a moment, thinking how seriously he was taking this story. Usually, Squall wasn't the questioning type. 

Two hours later, they met back in front of Galbadia Hotel. Squall was walking his head down, telling Rinoa he didn't learn anything useful. Seeing Rinoa, he hoped she was luckier than he was. She shook her head to his silent question once she was in front of him.

"Nothing," she said. "I'm sorry, Squall. It's like this girl came from nowhere and disappeared the same way."

"Thanks anyway. Some people told me they saw that girl one or two times, but didn't know where she was from, where she was living or what her name was."

"Well at least we know we're not after a ghost! If you say people saw her, it's because she does exist!"

"You're right, but we're searching for so long I wonder if she is still here."

He was about to give up and Rinoa knew it. She put her hands on his shoulders and forced him to look at her.

"Come on, Squall! You won't give up now! I never saw you looking so determined in finding something!"

"It's because the last time I did it, I was looking for you."

A moment of silence followed the allusion to the fight against Ultimecia.

"You look tired. Maybe we should eat something and rest a bit before searching again. What do you say?"

"There you are, you thief!" a voice exclaimed behind Squall.

Somehow feeling that this message was for him, Squall turned around to see an angry shopkeeper coming his way. The man stopped when he looked better at Squall. He still approached.

"Sorry, boy. Guess I mistook you for someone else."

A light of hope!

"Who are you looking for, sir?" Rinoa asked before Squall grabbed the man by his collar.

"A thief."

"What happened?"

"Earlier this week, I hired a girl to work at my shop. When she came to ask me if I had a job for her, I pitied her and gave her a job."

"Why did you pity her?"

"She was so thin and dirty, looking sick. She didn't want money for payment, she wanted food. I didn't mind at all. Seeing how she looked like, I knew she didn't have a home so she lived at mine. Yesterday, I couldn't keep her for the job anymore."

"You fired her?" Squall asked.

"It was hard for me, believe me but I didn't have the choice! I fired her. She cried at my feet to let her work again, saying she needed that job… I felt so bad…"

Squall couldn't believe it. He resisted the desire to punch the man for being so heartless.

"But this morning, she came back and stole food from my shop! I just had the time to recognize her clothes. She was looking in even more bad shape than the day before. I called for soldiers but she was gone."

Rinoa wondered if it was then that she saw her, if she just stole the food.

"When I saw you, young man, I mistook you for her. You got the same hair and now that I look better, you got the same eyes too. Her eyes were the only thing shining on her."

Squall was about to yell at the man that the thief was in fact is twin sister he just learned the existence about, but a woman cut in.

"Excuse me. You are talking about that dirty brown haired and clothed girl with those incredibly strange blue eyes?"

"Yes!" Rinoa exclaimed with hope in her voice as she grabbed Squall's hand.

"Forget about her. The soldiers finally caught her. Your shop wasn't the first one she robbed. When I saw the soldiers taking her away, she wasn't even moving which meant they hit her or she was too weak to do so."

"I better like the second option." Squall said.

"If she robbed that much, the soldiers probably took her to my dad," Rinoa told Squall. "Let's go!"

She grabbed his hand and they ran to Caraway's mansion. The woman looked at the man.

"Who are they?" she asked.

The man shrugged.

"The girl is General Caraway's daughter, but the guy… I would say he's her boyfriend. He looks so much like that girl, maybe they're from the same family."

"Father!" Rinoa screamed when she entered her father's office.

The General jumped from the surprise visit. He got up and stood up behind his desk, smiling to his daughter.

"Hi, Rinoa. Long time no see!"

Then he got his sight on Squall who wasn't even looking at him. He changed his face when he saw the SeeD. 

"Mmh! Squall…"

Squall looked at him without a smile. If Caraway didn't like him much, it was the same thing for Squall.

"General," he still said to be polite.

"It's no time for a quarrel, you two!" Rinoa exclaimed looking at Squall then at her father. "I have something important to tell you, father."

After having one last glance of his daughter's boyfriend, Caraway sat down and put his hands together on the desk.

"What can I do for you, dear?"

Rinoa leant her hands on the desk to put herself between Squall and her father.

"Have you seen a girl that look like Squall today?"

"If I had to remember everyone coming here…"

"Have you? You never forgot Squall's face after you saw him for the first time so don't tell me you don't remember about a girl who look like him!!"

Squall couldn't believe Rinoa was speaking to her dad like that. He wasn't living with his father so he didn't have the opportunity to do like that but still… He put his hands on her shoulders and got his head close to her.

"Calm down, Rinoa. There's no need to be so…"

She swung her arm back, forcing Squall to let go and move backward with wide eyes not to be slapped. Caraway got up.

"For once, he's right, Rinoa. Calm down."

"You're glad to say that Squall is right when it suits you to! You'll answer my question!"

Caraway looked down and sighed, apparently used to that kind of action from his daughter not like Squall.

"Yes, I saw her. Shopkeepers kept complaining about that girl all day long, saying she was stealing food from their houses and shops when it was food shops. Not only the shopkeepers in fact. Lots of people. They just had a fruit or piece of bread stolen so I didn't really bother at first."

"Then why was she arrested?" Squall cut in, hitting the desk with his hands.

Caraway looked at him. They were face-to-face and frowning at each other.

"She was disturbing this peaceful city. As the General, I had to make sure she wasn't to disturb it anymore."

He sat back still looking at Squall with a strange face.

"Why you ask? You sound like you know her, Squall. Are you a two-timing?"

Squall felt the blood rush to his cheeks as he almost jumped over the General's desk to choke him. Rinoa wrapped her arms around his waist to hold him.

"Squall, don't! He's trying to get on your nerves!"

"He's succeeding!!"

Caraway was smiling. Squall calmed down so Rinoa released her grip.

"Are you trying to take us apart, Caraway?" Squall asked making the name sound like an insult.

"Squall!" Rinoa exclaimed.

Caraway kept smiling with a that's-what-will-happen-if-you-keep-up-that-way face. Squall defied him.

"Really? We'll see about that!"

He grabbed Rinoa and leant her back. Then he kissed her furiously, surprising her and making the General feel fire on his face. Squall then put Rinoa back on her feet. He was looking very serious while she was looking dumb. Squall never kissed her like that.

"See?" Squall continued. "Better get use to see me around because I intend to be for a long, long time! You better tell me where she is!"

Amazed from the boy's actions and determination, Caraway smiled again.

"That girl must be pretty important to you, Squall."

"I think it's none of your…" Rinoa started before being cut by Squall.

"It's my sister," he told.

Both Rinoa and her father looked at the frowning Squall with surprised looks. Rinoa because she never thought Squall would tell him and Caraway because he wasn't waiting for that kind of news. Then he smirked.

"Mmh! A funny president for a father, a killer for son and a thief for daughter… 

what a family…"

Squall became really mad the second Caraway spoke of Laguna. He didn't bother what he said about him. 

"You can call me what you want but don't you dare insult my father!! Do it again and I'll give you a good reason to call me a killer!"

"What…" Caraway started, amazed.

Rinoa looked at her beloved with wide opened eyes. He just defended Laguna! He never even spoke of him as his father before and now he was taking his side. She calmed him down before turning to her father.

"Later, father. Just tell us where the girl is."

"In the D-District prison."

"You have to let her free!" Squall ordered. "If you don't, I'll have my father force you to!"

Caraway knew Squall's father was Esthar president. He didn't want any trouble.

"It must be pretty important for you. Not so long ago, you didn't even know you had a father and now you have a sister too?!"

Squall hasn't noticed he mentioned his father. He never spoke of him like that. It just came naturally.

"Please, father!" Rinoa pleaded. "It's important for us…for him!"

Caraway looked at Squall's face that wasn't showing anger or determination anymore.

"Please, sir. I have to find her! I lived like an orphan all my life and so she did. I know how she feels and I want her to know she still has a family."

"You'll take her with you?"

Squall nodded.

"Yes, I'll take her to Garden."

"Alright. I'll write a letter to the prison director for her freedom. You'll just have to show that to him."

"Thanks, dad!" Rinoa exclaimed jumping on her father and hugging him.

She let go so he wrote the paper. Then he handed it to Squall.

"I still don't like you much, but…take care of Rinoa."

Squall made the SeeD's salute.

"Yes, sir!"

"Let's go, Squall!" Rinoa urged him.

They left the mansion and went back to the car renting shop. Then they drove back to Balamb and changed their car for the Ragnarok without a word to the curious people who wanted to know what they wanted to do with it. Squall has learned from Selphie how to fly it so he didn't have any problem.

"Why the Ragnarok, Squall? You could have simply make the Garden move."

"It's faster."

Rinoa agreed and they flew to the D-District prison.


	3. New Found

Chapter2 : Back Home ****

Chapter2 : New Found

Squall landed the Ragnarok far enough from the underground prison not to scare anybody. He disembarked with Rinoa. They had to fight few easy monsters on their way. They were no matches for the SeeD leader and the Sorceress. Nothing could stand in Squall's way of finding his sister and hope to survive. 

They finally made it to the entrance. Lucky it wasn't buried underground for now. They entered easily. Remembering it was under Galbadia, Squall hesitated before remembering they won the Sorceress war. The Galbadians were in peace…for now. But even in peace people can be suspicious. A guard approached, aiming their way for a warning but with no bad intentions.

"Who are you?" he asked. "You look familiar to me, both of you…"

He frowned, trying to recall where he saw them. Squall waited patiently knowing he would see his sister soon. The soldier shrugged.

"I'm sorry, I don't remember."

"Let me help you: I'm Squall Leonhart, Balamb Garden's SeeD leader. And this is Rinoa Heartilly, the General Caraway's daughter and the Sorceress."

The guard eyes widened up remembering the famous duo. He has heard much of Rinoa, the Sorceress. And of Squall too, the world saver. He knew they didn't do that alone, but just seeing them in person made him forget about the others.

"It's a honor to meet you, Leonhart," the guard took Squall's hand and shook it after putting his gun away. "Some of my comrades don't share my opinion but I think you did the right thing in that story. Thanks to you, we still have a peaceful world to live in."

Blushing, Squall withdrew his hand with a smile. Rinoa giggled by his side.

"I'm sorry," the guard apologized. "What's for your service?"

"I would like to see the director to give him a letter from General himself," Squall answered showing the letter.

"What is it for?"

"Personal business."

"I see. Follow me, please."

He headed for the stairs, Squall and Rinoa close behind. They stopped in front of a door and the guard signaled them to wait a second. He knocked to the door and waited for an answer. Then he opened the door and passed his head in the entrance. 

"Two persons want to see you, sir," he said.

"Really? It's been a while since anybody came to see me. Who are they?"

"Squall Leonhart and Rinoa Heartilly."

The director quickly got up, making his chair fall backward and hit the ground so loudly the two visitors could hear.

"The SeeD leader and the Sorceress?! Let them in!"

The guard nodded with a smile and moved aside to let Rinoa and Squall in.

"Thanks," Rinoa said.

"You're welcome. It was a pleasure to meet you."

He went away, thinking that meeting cool people was a good point of the guarding job.

Squall closed the door behind him once they were in. The director was putting his chair up then he sat down, smiling at the duo.

"Greetings, Squall and Rinoa! How can I help you?"

"This will tell you better than I could," Squall answered handing him the letter.

Curious, the director took it and read it. When he was done, he looked at Squall with an amazed face.

"I would never have guessed that girl could be your sister, Squall. Be assured I would have call for you if I knew it in the first place!"

"You would have missed me because I was in Deling looking for her. Can you make her free?"

"Of course I can! When I put my gaze on her, I thought she would have greater chances of surviving in this prison than by herself, but since you're offering her a home…"

He got up taking the prison keys from a drawer of his desk.

"Let's go."

They left the office and headed for the stairs again, going up. A few floors upper, they headed for a door. Soldiers guarding the place saluted the director and looked at Squall and Rinoa with strange faces.

'Are they thinking we were arrested or what?' Squall thought.

'No, they wonder what we are doing here in a time of peace,' Rinoa's voice answered in his mind.

He turned to her and frowned.

'How can you know what I'm thinking? I'm not telepathic!' 

'No, but I can read minds.'

'I hate when you do that…'

Rinoa giggled causing the director to look at her raising an eyebrow.

As a Sorceress, Rinoa learned to use all the powers she was granted. Reading minds was only one of them. Most of the time, she had to concentrate to read people's mind, but not for Squall. If he's thinking to intensively by her side, she can't help hearing him. Sometimes forgetting about that, Squall wasn't careful of what he was thinking about. He was afraid one of these days, she would discover something that would make her blush from shame. After all, Squall was just a guy!

They finally reached the right cell. The director found the right key and unlocked the door. He opened it wide after taking a look inside. He invited them in. 

"You can left with her as soon as you like!" he saluted before leaving them.

Squall thanked him and entered with Rinoa following. She stopped her step the second she was in the cell. Curious, Squall looked at her. She was stunned, looking in front of her, but not seeing anything.

"Are you okay?" Squall inquired.

"Confusing… There is just one person here, but I can hear hundreds."

She took her head in her hands.

"It's driving me crazy!"

Squall took her by shoulders.

"Maybe it's the spirits of long time dead prisoners. You have to close your mind."

"No, it's all coming from the same person, it's the same voice. It's just thinking hundred things in the same time. So confusing!" she shook her head.

"Close your mind or get out if you can't take it."

Rinoa focused all her power to stop the voices. Finally it was gone, but she wasn't sure if it was her who blocked them away from her mind or if they stopped by themselves.

"They're gone, it's okay."

Squall nodded from relief before turning to the prisoner. He looked at the thin figure lying on the ground. Hard to tell it was a girl. The only way to tell was by looking at her forms her old clothes couldn't hide anymore. Squall blushed when he realized where he was looking before switching to the face. The hair were long and dirty and all messed up. The face was pale and thin. The cheeks were curved and she had eye bags. Her whole body was dirty. She wasn't wearing any shoes Squall could see her feet covered with old dry blood and her legs and arms covered with wounds. He felt his heart beats strangely. Poor girl, what kind of life she had? Even in an orphanage, Squall still had clean clothes and water to wash himself up. He had all the food he needed too and love even if he didn't know it back then. That girl was looking like she didn't have any of these for years. Then Squall knew that Sorceresses were better than some other people were. Edea took good care of him even if she was a Sorceress, even if he didn't want to be taking care of.

He slowly approached and kneeled aside the girl. He didn't know what to do… At first he just wanted to find her and now that he had her in front of him, he was shocked. His heart was beating a way it never did. He finally decided to listen to it. He carefully put an arm under her neck and gently lifted her back a little. He stricken her face from the hair covering it, not bothering how dirty they were. Rinoa was just behind him, but she wasn't there for him. There was only him and his new found sister.

Squall hesitated again. How could he call her name, he didn't know it! He thought he was stupid of not asking for more information from Laguna! Maybe it was written on the paper. Too late for remorse, he looked again at his sister. Clean, she could probably be very beautiful. He put a hand on her chin. She felt so fragile in his trained arms he was afraid he would crush her. Finally, her lids moved. Squall retained his breath, wishing she could wake up now. She half opened her eyes, apparently not seeing anything for a while. Squall didn't say a thing; he waited for her to notice him. She did at last. He sensed a movement in his arms like she was surprised, but apparently, she was too weak to move away. 

Squall couldn't believe his own eyes. The shopkeeper was right: her eyes are definitely shining through the dirt. Seeing those eyes, everything else is forgotten in a heartbeat. Those eyes remember Squall of his own. Seeing in them what she couldn't tell, he helped her sat up and lean against the wall, too weak to sit steady. She just looked at him from the roots of his hair to his knees. Her eyes locked on his, unable to look away, wide opened. He couldn't either. Her lips opened to say something. They pronounced something but not a sound came out. She finally managed to speak.

"S…Squall?" she asked with a hoarse voice like it's been a while since the last time she spoke. Or maybe because she recently cried.

Squall was as surprised as Rinoa behind him. How the hell could she know his name?!

From the surprise of his face, the girl knew she was right. At last! After all those years of searching, she finally found him… Or HE found her. She couldn't believe it. Her eyes were filling with tears before she jumped on him and wrapped her arms around his neck, almost making him lost his balance.

"Oh, Squall! It's you, it's really you! Tell me it's not another of my hopeful dream, that you're really there!" she cried.

Listening to his heart and the girl's tears, Squall hugged her back.

"I'm really here if that's what you're afraid of. Whatever you did for being locked here, I don't care and you don't have to worry anymore. I came to take you with me."

She moved backward to look at him with eyes shining more than ever.

"Really? You'll take me to Balamb Garden?"

Another surprise for the SeeD! The fact that she knew about Balamb Garden was normal, but that she knew he was leaving there!

"What else do you know about me I don't know form you?" he asked with a smile.

"A lot, brother. That's why I'm glad you're here and mad I didn't find you earlier."

Rinoa coughed to remind Squall of her presence. He looked backward at her and gave her a sorry look.

"Maybe you can talk back to Garden, Squall," she proposed. "It's getting late and I would like you to take me home if you don't mind. I suppose you got lot of things to tell each other and I don't want to bother you."

Squall was about to add something but she gave him a my-mind-is-made-up face.

"Alright," he turned to his sister. "This is my girlfriend, Rinoa."

"I heard of you too," she said to Rinoa with a weak smile.

Squall helped her up. Seeing it was hard for her just to stand up, he took her in his arms and carried her out of that place, Rinoa walking by their side.

"I'm sorry, Squall," she said. "We just met, you don't even know my name and I'm already giving you troubles."

Squall shook his head.

"Not at all. You'll see, everything will be just fine. You will live in Garden and I'll introduce you to my friends."

"I would love to."

The trio got out. Squall wasn't sure if walking to the Ragnarok with his sister was a good idea. Reading his mind once again, Rinoa tapped his back, recalling him of when he carried her to Esthar that way. With Rinoa's help, he switched his sister to her back and they headed for the Ragnarok. No monsters felt brave enough to attack them. They entered in. Squall carefully sat his sister on the co-pilot seat and put the seatbelt on. He sat in the pilot seat and Rinoa sat behind him.

Squall flew the Ragnarok to Deling where Rinoa was to disembark. He opened the airlock for her.

"Thanks, Squall. I'll come to see you in Garden once your sister is better so I'll learn to know her better."

"Sure," Squall's sister answered smiling to Rinoa.

Rinoa took a last glance on Squall and headed for the elevator. Squall took a look on his sister who was frowning at him with a what-are-you-waiting-for look. He untied his belt and went to the elevator. Rinoa was already down so he jumped down just before it came back up. He spotted Rinoa just at the exit.

"Wait, Rinoa!" he called.

She stopped and turned around.

"What is it?"

He walked towards her and stopped an inch away. He leant down and kissed her.

"Thanks," he whispered. "I found her because of you, thank you."

She kissed him back.

"You're welcome," she whispered before heading out waving to him with a smile.

He waved back. Once she was out of his sight, he went back to the elevator and called it to come down. He went to sit back in the pilot seat and made the airlock to close. The Ragnarok took off and headed for Balamb Garden.

"There is a strong bond between you, isn't it?" the girl by his side asked.

Squall looked at her a second.

"Yes, really strong."

"She looks friendly."

"I'm sure she thinks you are too."

She sighed and yawned.

"You can sleep. I'll carry you inside once we're there, you can't walk anyway."

She closed her eyes.

"Coran…" she whispered so low Squall wasn't sure she said something.

"Sorry, what did you say?"

"My name is Coran…"

She fell asleep after those words. Squall looked at her for a few seconds.

'Coran Leonhart,' Squall thought. 'Welcome to the family of orphans who have a father…'

The Ragnarok silently flew to Balamb Garden.


	4. First Sight

Chapter 3: First Sight ****

Chapter 3: First Sight

Squall landed the Ragnarok close to the Garden and looked at his sleeping sister when he cut the motor off. She was sleeping peacefully, not like the weak state she was in when Squall entered the cell she was in earlier. He went to her and took her in his arms. He still couldn't believe how light she was! Taller than Rinoa (as tall as he is) she was lighter than her! She was thinner too. Rinoa wasn't fat of course but Coran only had skin and bones left.

The SeeD carried her inside. On his way, he noticed it was almost night already. He couldn't believe he search Deling for so long before getting back to Garden with the Ragnarok to head for the D-District prison to get his sister. Shrugging, just glad his mission, no… it wasn't a mission… he chose to go get her, he hasn't been ordered to. Anyway, glad he found his sister, he entered Garden. Some students were staring at him with wide opened eyes, probably wondering why he was getting that sorry excuse for a girl in Garden. Not even looking at these ignorant students, he headed for his room where he carefully rested Coran on his bed. Then he sat at his deck and looked at her for a while, not thinking about anything. There was so much he wanted to know about her! Where she grew up, why she didn't came to Edea's orphanage with Ellone and him, how she ended up like that… Everything!

He watched her sleep for a while before she moved with a moan. He got up and went to kneel by her side. When she slowly opened her eyes, she sat up quickly when she saw Squall face. She looked around, surprised and scared. Squall lifted his hands to calm her down.

"Hey, Coran, don't be afraid."

"Where am I? Who…?"

Her face then told Squall she suddenly remembered.

"Squall? We're…in Garden?"

Squall nodded with a smile. Her eyes filled up with tears. Their shining meant she couldn't believe it.

"It wasn't a dream! You really came to me!"

He nodded once more. Then the girl reached so fast he almost lost his balance. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and buried her face in his neck.

"I'm so happy! I can't believe it's actually real! I dreamt so much about this!"

Squall hugged her back.

"Your nightmare is over," he whispered softly in comforting tone in her ear. "You'll be okay here."

He freed from her embrace and looked at her.

"What do you wanna do first? Wash, eat, tell me about you or meet my friends? But this can wait."

The tears were rolling down her cheeks.

"Wash? Really? It's been so long since my last shower…"

Then she blushed and looked away.

"And I was hugging you all the time. You must have been forced yourself not to throw up from my awful smell…"

"It's alright, I don't care."

"That's what I wanna do first: wash! I'm starving, but I wanna be clean before."

"No problem. Come."

He took her hand and showed her the bathroom he was sharing with the occupant of the room aside his. He handed her a sheet.

"There is already soap in there."

She looked in.

"As I told you, it's been a while since my last shower, so it might take me a while…"

"Don't bother. Take all the time you need. I'm gonna tell my friends you're here and ask for something to eat for you at the cafeteria."

"Oh, don't cause yourself such trouble! We can go to the cafeteria after and I could meet you friends there."

"As you wish…"

He waved to her and left. She looked at the bathroom with shining eyes.

"A shower… After all those years…"

She entered it and took off her disgusting clothes before getting the shower ready.

Squall reached the Headmaster's office. Laguna wasn't there anymore, but Quistis and Cid were. When they saw him coming out of the elevator, they ran to him. Knowing him pretty well, they knew there was something different on his face.

"So! Did you find her?" Quistis asked.

With a smile, Squall quickly nodded.

"I'm so glad for you!" Quistis answered hugging him. "Oh, Squall, you must be so happy!"

"Where is she?" Cid inquired.

"She's taking a shower."

Squall was smiling. Cid and Quistis never saw him so well and happy before. The SeeD turned to the Headmaster.

"There is something I would like to ask you, sir: could I have a SeeD candidate's girl uniform for my sister? She doesn't have any clothes besides the old ones she was wearing."

"SeeD candidate's uniform?"

"Unless you have something else…"

"No, it's okay."

Cid told Quistis to go get one.

"Which size?" she asked Squall.

"She's as tall as I am, but very thin. Anyway I intend to make her gain some weight."

"Okay. I'll just take it to your room in a few minutes."

"Alright. I'll wait for you there."

She was about to leave when Squall added something.

"Oh! And Quistis, if you see anybody on your way, take them with you but don't tell anything."

"Sure!"

She left and Squall turned to Cid once again.

"Is there any room left, sir?"

"I already thought about it. I'm still looking for one."

Squall saluted with a smile –the first time he was doing it– and left too.

Heading back to the dormitory, Squall saw Zell coming from the other way, probably coming out of the training center.

"Yo, Squall! Where ya been all day?"

Squall smiled mysteriously.

"Come with me and you'll see…"

He walked away followed by a curious Zell.

"What is it? You got me hanging here!"

Squall didn't answer, heading for the dorms. Back to his room, he saw Selphie coming out of hers. She waved to her two friends.

"Hi, Squall, Zell!"

Squall leant against the wall facing the bathroom. The shower could still be heard.

"Who's in there?" Selphie asked.

"Surprise, surprise…"

Squall got Selphie hanging too. She hopped in front of him.

"Who, who? Tell me, tell me!"

"Give up, Selph," Irvine arrived with Quistis. "Quistis didn't want to tell me either."

Selphie crossed her arms on her chest, sulking.

"No fair! Quistis, you know who's in there!"

"I do too!" Seifer came in.

He looked at Squall who silently asked him to keep quiet. Seifer shrugged.

"I was just curious…"

The shower stopped so Squall took the package Quistis handed him and went at the bathroom's door. He waited a few seconds.

"Squall, you there?" a voice asked behind the door.

The others except Quistis and Seifer jumped.

"A girl??"

Not answering to his friends' reaction, Squall answered to the door.

"Yes."

"Do you have something for me to put on?" the voice asked with a shy tone.

"Yeah, I got something. I knew you didn't have anything else and I guess you don't ever want to see these old clothes of yours anymore."

"You bet!"

The door opened just enough for Squall to put the package in then the door closed. Squall turned to his friends. Seifer had a curious face, but wasn't looking at Squall. The others had their mouth wide open.

"Who…who's that?" Irvine asked.

"You'll find out soon enough," Squall answered with a smile.

The next minutes were incredibly long for the ignorant ones. While Zell, Selphie and Irvine were clearly looking curious and impatient, Seifer was hiding it. He already knew who was in there he was just a bit curious how big was the resemblance between Squall and her.

The door finally shyly opened slowly. Zell and Irvine's jaw dropped when they saw the girl. Even Squall wide opened his eyes. She wasn't the same girl at all. Her face was pale, but charming, her hair was looking pretty longer down on her back, shining brown just like Squall's. The wounds on her pale legs and arms were invisible for the people there. Her blue eyes were making the eyes bags disappear. Anybody looking at those eyes wouldn't be able to notice anything else. She almost had the same face than Squall but more feminine. A little red colored her cheeks seeing everybody staring at her. She reached for the bottom of the skirt of the uniform.

"It's pretty short," she said softly, her voice ringing like music to the guys' ears. "Maybe too short if you ask me…"

Squall smiled to her when she found his gaze. Quistis made a step forward.

"Oh, no, that's how it's supposed to be. It looks pretty well on you. You're beautiful!"

Coran blushed even more.

"Not that much," she whispered.

Irvine finally got out of his trance.

"No, she's right! You're…you…"

"You look like Squall!" Zell exclaimed.

Coran looked at her brother, arching an eyebrow.

"You didn't tell them?"

"I wanted to keep this a surprise," he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, facing his friends. "Guys, this is Coran Leonhart, my twin sister."

The ones that didn't know about that already almost lost their balance backward.

"Sister?" the three exclaimed.

"Coran, this is Zell Dincht, my best friend, Irvine Kinneas, a sharpshooter from Galbadia Garden, Selphie Tilmitt, a transferred student from Trabia Garden, my ex-instructor Quistis Trepe and Seifer Almasy…" he hesitated telling Seifer was his old rival.

Zell winked, raising a thumb to Coran. Irvine grabbed his hat with a smile. Selphie smiled and shook hands with her and Quistis did the same. When Coran faced Seifer, his face was the most confused of all. His eyes were staring, not frowning anymore. His mouth a little open from the amazement didn't pronounce a word. To Squall's surprise, Coran was staring at Seifer too. He switched his gaze from one to another a few times. He was about to say something when Coran finally spoke.

"Strange…" she said lifting a hand to Seifer's scar with a soft voice. "You got a scar just like Squall except it's not going the same way."

"We made it to each other during a fight," Seifer explained in a low tone.

"Really?" Coran said in a low tone still staring at Seifer's eyes.

Seifer finally managed to break away from those eyes. He coughed to clear his throat, looking away.

"Think I'll go now. Something I must do."

Not looking at Coran or waving to her, he left, not even waving to the others.

'I'm sure I saw that kind of gaze before,' Squall thought. "Or at least I'm sure I know that gaze.'

He wide opened his eyes when he figured it out, looking at Coran who was still looking to the exit, daydreaming.

'Coran and Seifer? No way!'

Leaving the dorms, Seifer was feeling more confused than ever.

'What's happening to me? Why couldn't I help staring at that girl?'

He headed for the library, sure that nobody would come there and disturb him. He went to sit down and took his head in his hands, trying to understand.

'Why do I have the feeling I met her before? And why was my heart beating so fast when she was looking at me? Is this…love?'


	5. Revealed Childhood

Chapter 4: Time to Tell ****

Chapter 4: Revealed Childhood

Squall decided it was time to eat. It was pretty late, but nobody argued when he invited the others to join them. They all could accept a little snack even at this time of the night. They had to hurry though because of the curfew. So they headed for the cafeteria to get something to eat and it was decided they would eat in Squall's room. Seeing the others only took few simple things to eat, Coran was feeling bad to be so hungry. To encourage her, Squall took more food so that he could eat the same as her. She smiled to him.

"You're so kind," she said.

"In fact, I didn't eat anything since my breakfast this morning so I'm kinda starved," he explained with a dumb face.

The others laughed from his face. Once everybody had something to eat, the group headed back to the dormitory and into Squall's room. On the way, Coran was looking around with a hopeful face. Squall noticed it by the corner of his eye and wondered what she was hoping for. When they reached his room, she was looking sad, deceived. The first thought that spread into Squall's mind was that she was hoping for Seifer. He shook his head.

'No way. She just met him how could she be hopefully expecting him?'

Keeping his thoughts for himself, the gang entered the room. Respectful of the curfew, Squall closed his door not to disturb anybody. 

Hesitating to sit on Squall's bed with her food, Coran sat on the floor before Squall encouraged her to sit by his side on the bed. With a thankful smile, she obeyed. They leant against the wall aside the bed with their tray on their thighs. Quistis sat down at Squall's desk and Zell aside Squall and Coran onto the bed while Irvine and Selphie were sitting down on the floor.

Quistis looked at Zell's two hotdogs, thinking maybe HE should sit on the floor.

"Two hotdogs, Zell?" Selphie asked in disbelieve.

"I'm not that hungry! It's just a little snack."

They all laughed, amazed that what Zell was calling a snack would have been a whole meal for some of them.

Coran had a soup bowl and a plate with meat and vegetables. She was looking at it like she didn't saw such food for centuries what was close to the truth. She ate well when she was working at the shop in Deling, but she was always feeling a bit guilty and wasn't eating everything offered to her. Now, she could eat anything she wanted. She took her spoon and silently ate the soup. It was the best vegetables soup ever, she was sure of that. She ate everything pretty fast. (And when I say everything, I mean everything!) Nothing was left, not even a tiny little crumb. Squall was surprised she ate all that, but thought twice when he looked at his own empty plate. He has eaten as much as her.

Zell, to his friends' surprise, ate properly his hotdogs and didn't mess up Squall's sheets. Irvine didn't eat half of his hotdog. He held it out.

"Somebody wants it?"

Not feeling shy anymore, Coran took it.

"Thanks," she said.

She ate it all.

"That's good!"

More laughter in the room.

When everyone was done with their food, the trays and plates were put on the desk.

"What do you say you tell me your story?" Squall asked his sister. "I want to know my sister a little if you don't mind."

"Of course not. But I warn you: my life is not pretty."

Then she started, everyone looking at her while she was telling.

"You already know about our birth, maybe," she supposed before looking at his confused face. "Guess you don't. Okay, then. When I was born, I was too fragile and weak so it was said I didn't have a chance for survival. Ready to take the risk, my…our mother sent me to a place of higher technology that could maybe save me."

"Probably Esthar," Squall supposed.

"I don't know. Before it was said I would be okay, I was treated for weeks. When I got better, I was sent back to Winhill only to find out my mother was dead and my twin was gone to an orphanage with his adoptive sister. I don't know why, but I was sent to another orphanage. Of course I don't remember all that, I was just a baby. The Matron from the orphanage told me that. She was told herself by the people who took me there. I grew up alone, knowing I had a brother and a father out there, somewhere. There was other kids in the orphanage and I was enjoying playing with them, but they were adopted one by one, so I decided not to play with them anymore to be sure never suffer from losing them again."

She paused. Squall had this strange feeling of déjà-vu, recalling himself at the orphanage.

"I soon decided I wouldn't be adopted," she continued. "I didn't want to. I told myself the minute I would be able to survive alone, I would leave to find my family. So that's it. At the age of twelve, I ran away. I had to learn how to defend myself from the monsters on the field. I didn't have any weapon so I used my fists and brain to get myself out of every mess I could get into. I traveled from a city to another, trying to find my brother and father… No luck. I worked to pay the food I was eating from people, and to pay my traveling through the seas. I never changed my clothes, that's why the ones I had were so tight and I didn't have any shoes. I was washing them every time I could though, but after a while, just washing them was making them even worse, so I gave up."

The others were silent, amazed how that girl learned to be by herself at a so young age. Her eyes shone when she continued.

"The last year was the most hopeful of all those I spent looking for you. The only thing I had to look for you was your name and the fact that we were twins. I kept hearing about the exploits of the SeeD Squall Leonhart and his friends. The fight against the Sorceress Edea: the first when you lost, and the second you were victorious. Then I heard about Sorceress Adel freed from space and Squall's team to take care of that. I heard rumors of Sorceress Ultimecia from the future willing Time Compression. I learned later she was defeated. All the time I knew you were living in Balamb Garden. When I finally managed to get to the island it was on, it was gone. There was a big hole instead. From the look of it, missiles came. At first I thought the Garden was destroyed but there was no pieces, just a hole. Later I learned Gardens were mobile so I gave up running after it, thinking destiny would probably let me be lucky enough to find my hero for a brother."

She had her head down.

"I was in Deling for the last week, hoping you would be there since I knew you already went there before. Then I didn't know you had a girlfriend."

She turned to him and smiled, willing to talk about something else than her.

"What about you? How did you grow up?"

Squall looked up at the ceiling.

"Not as sad as yours, but not easy either. I have to warn you there is a lot of things I can't remember because of the GF junctioning."

"Huh?"

"You know what GFs are?"

Coran nodded.

"When we junction to them, we end up losing parts of our memories."

"Yeah, it sucks!" Zell exclaimed.

"We'll add the details you forgot, Squall," Quistis offered.

"That is if we remember ourselves," Selphie said.

Squall nodded.

"We all grew up together, Quistis, Selphie, Irvine, Zell, Seifer and I. Only Rinoa wasn't part of the gang. Our Matron was in fact Sorceress Edea we fought years after…"

He told her everything about their childhood he could recall. About Ellone that suddenly left, leaving Squall more alone than ever, about Seifer always teasing everyone, how the others were as kids…Everything he and the others could recall.

"Wow, pretty sad," Coran said. "Now can you tell me about your life here in Garden before and after you became a SeeD? I want to know the whole story out of your mouth. The rumors I heard all those years only made me want to know the real and complete version of that story."

Squall looked at his watch.

"It's getting pretty late…" he looked at his friends who shrugged to tell him they didn't bother.

Squall then told what Coran wanted to hear. From the SeeD exam to the party after Ultimecia's death. Coran didn't show any sign of tiredness during the whole time he and his friends spoke. She was sometimes wide opening her eyes from horror when he told he was attacked directly by Edea, when Seifer tortured him and when he went into space to save Rinoa. The others had to add the romantic parts because Squall was reluctant of telling that. Those parts only made Coran's eyes shine. Those eyes were frowning when it was question of Seifer's doings for the Sorceress. 

The sun was up when the others finished telling.

"And they lived happily ever after," Selphie finished with a humorist tone.

"What a story!" Coran exclaimed.

Then she frowned.

"I can't believe the Seifer you told me about in that story is the same one I met earlier. He doesn't look that bad."

"He has changed," Squall said. "A little."

He remembered how he was looking at Coran. More staring that looking though.

'I think he's not done changing,' Squall thought.

He looked at the window.

"God! It's morning already!"

Everyone looked at the window two, unable to believe that.

"Already?" Zell asked. "Did we really talk all night? I don't feel tired at al!"

"Me neither!" Irvine said.

The others all nodded too.

Coran sighed and leant backward at the wall.

"I wish I would have shared that life of yours."

"You can."

Coran looked at him with wide shining eyes.

"How come?"

"You can become a SeeD if you like. I'll ask the Headmaster about that."

"I don't know. As I told you I'm not using any weapons."

"So what?" Zell exclaimed showing her his gloved fists. "I don't either and I can fight!"

Coran looked at Zell a while then switched her gaze to Squall.

"Can I… think about it?"

"Of course, you can."

"The purpose of SeeD is to kill Sorceresses?" she asked low.

"At first, yes, that's what it was. But now there are only two Sorceresses left and both good ones: Rinoa and Edea."

Coran nodded, thoughtful.

"It's time for breakfast!" Zell exclaimed jumping up of Squall's bed.

The others laughed when he felt pain for being sat too long.

"Ha!! Try to get up yourselves and we'll see who gets the last laugh!!"

They all got up and moaned from pain then laughed as they were stretching themselves to get rid of that pain. Then they all headed for the cafeteria, hungry from that whole story telling night.


	6. Strange Events Occur

Chapter 5: Strange Events Occur ****

Chapter 5: Strange Events Occur

Coran spent the greatest time of her entire life in Garden, but something seemed to make her sad. As the days past, Squall noticed and decided to ask her. After a training session with Zell at the Training Center on morning, Squall headed for his room to think about it. A while later, he left his room and headed for the room Coran was given the next day she came. It was close to his so he had told her to come and see him if she ever needed anything.

He knocked at the door and waited a few seconds for an answer, wondering if she was in there. When he was about to knock louder, the door opened and Coran's smiling face appeared to him.

"Squall! Come in!" she invited.

He entered and stood in the middle of the room while she was closing the door. She turned to him with a smile.

"What brings you here?"

Squall was looking at her, trying to find if he could see what was wrong just by the look of her face. He tried as hard as he could, but couldn't figure it out.

"Shall we go for a walk?" he offered.

"Sure! I'm kinda bored right now."

They left the room, and walked in the Garden.

Earlier this week, Coran gave her answer about becoming a SeeD. She didn't want to, for now at least. She would rather enjoy a little job at the cafeteria or the library or maybe the Festival Committee. Squall was deceived she didn't want to be a SeeD but guessed she had her reasons.

They walked without saying a word for a while until Seifer past by them, going the opposite way. He glared at Coran just a second for Squall to notice before looking away. Coran was looking at him too, but much staring than anything else. She stopped walking and traced Seifer until he disappeared. Squall was sure she didn't even notice she had stopped and was staring. He looked at her face. She had shining eyes and there was that little something on her face Squall finally figured out what it was. He wide opened his eyes as he looked at Coran, then to the way Seifer had gone, then back at Coran. No doubt in his mind anymore: she was in love with him!!

"Coran?" he called.

She didn't seem to have heard him. He waved in front of her face.

"Coran… Hey!"

She shook her head and looked at Squall with a surprised face.

"Huh? Squall! What's wrong?"

Squall crossed his arms on his chest and smiled at his sister.

"You got a crush on Seifer," he said more than asked.

She blushed.

"Is it that obvious?"

Squall was stunned. He was waiting for something such as: 'No, I'm not!' or 'What are you talking about?' He had changed his smile for a bewildered face.

"It's true, then? All those times you were tracing him, and looking hopefully for him every time I was showing you around and all those questions about the Disciplinary Committee? You love him."

She looked away, not answering.

"I don't know why… I felt strange as I looked at him the day you introduced him to me. How he was looking at me and how he was looking… His hair, his unique eyes, his dressing… The whole of him made me feel strange. Like if I met him before…"

"I don't think so but it's still possible. He traveled a lot when he was under the Sorceress's control."

Then she looked depressed. Squall was concerned.

"What's wrong?" he asked in his brotherly tone he started to use since Coran's arrival.

"I still can't see in him every bad things you told me about. I just can't think he did that!"

Squall smiled and went in front of her, lifting her chin so she could look at him.

"That means you really love him. You can't see anything bad in him, because you only look at the goods."

She smiled back.

"But he and I…it's impossible…"

"Why?"

"Didn't you see how he was looking at me? He doesn't love me, I know that!"

Squall giggled, making Coran frown.

"What's so funny?"

"I know him better than anybody else, Coran. He's not the feelings-out type. Just like I was before I met Rinoa. Speaking of which, she's gonna come tonight. She wants to know you better."

Coran didn't hear that last sentence about Rinoa. Only the words 'He's not the feelings-out type' were ringing into her mind over and over again. With shining eyes, she looked at her brother, hope all around her face.

"You say that… he likes me but he's not showing it?"

Squall shrugged mysteriously, looking away.

"What better way to find out than to ask him?"

"Oh, no!" she exclaimed moving backward. "I'll never have the guts!"

Squall decided to take care of everything. He walked to Coran with a so serious face she almost moved more back from the fear. He took her by the shoulders and looked straight into her blues eyes. 

'I feel like looking in a mirror,' he thought before getting back to the point.

"What do you mean 'you don't have the guts'?! You left the only home you knew at twelve to look for our father and me all by yourself and fighting monsters on the way… And you're telling me you don't have guts?!"

She looked down, nervous.

"It's not the same thing…"

"You're right. What to lose? If he refuses, at least you won't be tortured by the wonder anymore. And if he does share your feelings…"

He smiled at her hopeful face. He never saw hope so often on a face before.

"How should I?"

Squall thought of having to play the experienced brother, but he only had one girlfriend and it was the one he still had today. For that, he didn't do anything; things worked up by themselves. Maybe it could work for Coran and Seifer too!

"Ask him to go to the Secret Area."

"In the Training Center?"

"Yes. If he does have feelings for you, this is the best place to tell. If he doesn't say anything, then go for it!! Listen to your heart and tell him!"

Squall couldn't believe he said that. He would never have before. Wait a minute! That was Seifer he was talking about! His sister had a crush on Seifer and he was encouraging her to tell him! 

'Forget about him! He's not the good guy for you! He'll make you cry!' were the thoughts spreading through Squall's mind.

"Good luck," he said with a smile.

She smiled back, her eyes still shining as she headed in the direction Seifer was gone, waving at her brother.

Squall shook his head. Maybe the chat he had with Seifer the day before made him do that.

[Flashback]

Squall was walking to the Headmaster's office. He had a call from Laguna. The SeeD cursed himself not to have told his father he actually found his twin. Laguna must have been so anxious when he saw Squall going to search for her and he didn't give back any news!

He was just about to enter the elevator when a voice called for him.

"Squall, I need to talk to you."

Squall turned around to see Seifer climbing the stairs to catch him up. He had a strange face Squall never saw before.

"Make it short, Laguna's on the phone from Esthar."

"I…um…it's…"

Seifer was clenching his hands nervously and was sweating a lot. Squall never saw him like that, not even before the SeeD exams. He tried to comfort his old rival.

"Calm down, would ya? I never saw you like that, is there something wrong?" he asked with concern putting a friendly hand on his shoulder for the first of… for the first time.

"I feel… strange. Like I'm sick or something."

"Did you see the doctor?"

"Yeah but when I told her since when I was feeling like that, she said I was sick and there was just one way to help it…"

Seifer looked at Squall, hoping he would understand without he had to go further. Squall could see there was something Seifer wanted him to guess but he didn't know what.

"I'm sorry, I don't understand."

Seifer sighed, starting to get angry.

"I suppose I'll have to make it clear for you," he said with a stupid voice. "I got this feeling when I'm looking at somebody in particular. And when I don't see this person, I can only think about her…"

"A girl?"

Squall understood in a heartbeat.

"You're telling me there is a girl in this world that makes your heart beat faster?"

"Shh!! You want the whole Garden to know about it? Why don't you go make it an announcement on the way?"

He looked around to see if anybody have heard. Nobody was paying attention to them.

"Well, that's great!" Squall said. "I don't know what's wrong about it!"

"I just don't know what to do… Should I tell her? When I look at her, I feel like she feels the same thing, but I'm Hell so unsure! I would feel dumb if I tell her and she reject me!"

"You look already dumb to me!" Squall joked.

Seifer frowned at him, not seeing what was so funny in a love affair. 

"I'm sorry, it was a stupid joke."

"I think I just had to tell someone. Don't bother, Squall."

And Seifer quickly went away, not answering to Squall's call for waiting. Shrugging with a sigh, Squall went to the phone where he told Laguna about Coran. The excited president said he would come soon to see her at the first second he would have the time.

[End of flashback]

Squall walked to the entrance of Garden to see if Rinoa was already there. On the way, he heard Quistis call for him behind. He stopped and turned around to ask her what was going on from the tone of her voice. He froze when he saw she had the face to go along with the voice. She was panicked, fear and concern all over her face.

"What's going on?"

"I would like to know!" she exclaimed hysterically as she stopped in front of him and clenched her chest to catch her breath. "Students are missing!"

"What?"

"A few disappeared, about five according to the source. Four are SeeD candidates…"

She paused, concern taking more space on her face if it was possible, as she was unable to continue.

"And the fifth?" he asked preparing for the news.

Quistis looked at him with a helpless and sorry face.

"It's a SeeD… Squall, Zell is missing also!"

Squall stood there, in shock. At least he was thinking the candidates freaked out before the exam, but Zell! Where could he have been? He never left Garden like that! At least not before telling somebody! If it was something urgent, the less he could have done was to tell Squall, his best friend! Just thinking he saw him just a while ago made it harder to believe for Squall. How could he disappear in such a short time?

"When?" Squall asked in a low tone.

"Some said they saw them this morning and then, PFF! Nothing more from the missing ones. And I saw Zell just this morning, heading for the cafeteria to get some hot dogs, as usual. Oh, Squall! Where could they be?" Quistis blurted out so fast Squall had to concentrate to understand her.

She was in shock, panicked. Squall was worried too of course but he had to stay calm and handle things as the Garden leader. 

"Those news must be keep secret as long as possible," he told his ex-instructor.

Seeing she was about to faint from emotion, he took her by her shoulders and shook her gently but firmly.

"Quistis, snap out of it!"

She looked at him a few seconds with big eyes before shaking her head.

"Thanks, Squall. I needed that. It's just so unusual! What if they were kidnap?"

Squall released his grip and slowly shook his head down.

"I don't think so. Nobody looking suspicious can make it through Garden without being stop for questioning. Plus, if it was a kidnapping, we would have receive a ransom demand or something."

She nodded at the reasonable speech.

"Now let's see… You said you saw Zell going to the cafeteria this morning? Then let's go there if somebody saw him."

He dragged Quistis to the cafeteria.

Seifer ran his hand through his blond hair, trying to make some kind of order in the papers on his desk.

"Who would have thought being in the Disciplinary Committee could mean having so much work?"

He scratched his head a bit, thinking his hair were getting pretty long. With an annoyed sigh, he threw his pencil on the desk and stretched backward against his chair.

"This is so boring!"

He suddenly heard a little knock on the door. It was so sudden he almost fell down of his chair. He got up and went to open the door when a folded sheet of paper was slid under it. He took it and quickly opened the door. Nobody around. Frowning, he closed the door and leant backward against it to unfold the paper.

"Meet me at the Secret Area this midnight, signed: you'll know when you'll be there," Seifer read out loud.

He looked in front of him, frowning and thinking. 

"Who can this be from? To the Secret Area? At midnight? It's way after curfew! Whoever it is must ignore that I lead the Disciplinary Committee!"

His anger from too much work flew away as he thought twice about this mysterious message. He leant his head backward, looking up.

"Secret Area is a place where couples or friends meet. I don't have any girlfriend and I can't call the others 'friends' yet. So who can this be from?"

Unable to figure it out but deep inside hoping it was who he was thinking about, he put the sheet of paper in a pocket of his trench coat and got out of the room.

Seeing Quistis couldn't take care of the problem, Squall walked directly to the girl behind the counter of the cafeteria.

"Commander!" she exclaimed.

Squall frowned at the title. He didn't like it at all. The girl noticed so she just called him 'Squall'.

"What can I do for you, Squall?"

"A lot if you were the one working here all the morning."

"Yes, I was. Why?"

Squall looked around and bent over the counter for secret chat.

"Have you seen Zell this morning?" he whispered.

"Yes, of course! He took some hot dogs, as usual."

"And do you know where he went after that?"

"Well, he said something about the Training Center before he left. I had to serve somebody after him, so I barely noticed him talking to somebody at the entrance. When I turned back his way, he was gone and the person too."

"Do you know who it was?" Squall asked in a hopeful tone.

The girl shook her head.

"Nope. Didn't have the time to notice. Why? Is there something wrong?"

Squall sighed. He wanted to keep this a secret but he knew it would be known sooner or later.

"Can you keep a secret?"

"Of course!" the girl exclaimed with shining eyes.

"There are five students missing, Zell one of them."

She covered her mouth and widened her eyes from concern.

"God! And nobody knows where they are?"

Squall shook his head.

"If you ever learn anything, anything that could be useful, contact me."

"Of course! You can count on me."

Squall thanked her and walked away, Quistis by his side.

"At least we know he came here."

"I bet the person he talked to is responsible."

"I agree. Let's go tell the others and ask around."

Suddenly, he stopped and slapped his forehead. Quistis turned to him.

"What?"

"Rinoa! I forgot about her! She's coming for supper."

"Then why don't we ask her? Maybe she can be of some help with her Sorceress's powers."

Squall looked at his friend and cursed himself for not thinking about it sooner.

"Of course! What a fool, I am! You go tell the others, I'll wait for Rinoa."

Quistis nodded and they both went different ways.


	7. Search For Clues

Chapter 6: Search for clues ****

Chapter 6: Search for clues

Squall ran to the entrance of Garden to see Rinoa entering. He was never so glad to see her before (except maybe when he woke up in her arms in the flower field). She saw him coming her way with a mix of relief and concern on his face. She waited for him to reach her, starting to worry herself. She instinctively clenched the rings on her necklace, feeling all the concern growing with Squall's approach. When he finally stopped in front of her, he didn't have the time to say a word. Rinoa took her head in her hands and moaned.

"Hey, don't think so loud! You make me crazy!"

Squall felt a bit confused before he remembered Rinoa could easily hear his thoughts.

"I told you to close your mind."

"Yeah, but I wasn't expecting that as soon as I entered!"

She concentrated and closed her mind.

"There."

"If you heard my thoughts, you must know what's going on?"

"You kidding?! You were thinking so loud I didn't understand a word!"

Squall sighed and apologized for looking so concern.

"I need your help. You said you could read people's mind if you concentrate?"

"Yes, if it's needed. Why?"

"Come on, I'll tell you."

They walked side by side through Garden, meeting Quistis coming out of the Training Center on their way.

Squall interrupted is telling and looked at his elder friend with hope.

"So?" he asked.

Quistis shook her head.

"No sign of him or the others. And nobody saw them either. It's like they vanished all of a sudden!"

Rinoa turned to Squall.

"You said there are missing students: four candidates and a SeeD. I could sense in your thoughts it's somebody close to you, who?"

"Zell…" he answered.

"Oh, I'm sorry."

Squall shook his head and turned back to Quistis who apparently was back into a good leader mood. She wasn't shocked anymore and was totally able to handle everything.

"Have you seen the others?" Squall asked.

"Yes, I told them everything and they went everywhere to see if they could find something. Irvine went to the Headmaster's office, Selphie to the Quad and I saw your sister at the library. She couldn't believe it when I told her everything and asked her to question the people entering the library. I saw Seifer too and asked him to pay attention to any suspicious looking person."

She put her elbow in her hand and took her chin in her other, thinking.

"Now that I think of it, your sister seamed pretty nervous even if she was surprise by the news."

Squall's eyes grew bigger and he got angry.

"You're accusing her?"

"No, I just say that maybe she knows something she doesn't want to tell."

Squall turned to Rinoa, not believing his sister could be responsible.

"Seifer is more suspicious than her, don't be stupid, Quistis. But if it can make you feel better, why don't we ask Rinoa to read her mind?"

Rinoa nodded.

"I can do that."

"Alright," Quistis said. "Let's gather everyone somewhere and have Rinoa read their minds. I'll prepare a list to be sure everyone go through it."

Squall nodded just when Irvine and Selphie arrived.

"Nothing," Irvine said. "I warned the Headmaster and he agrees to keep this a secret for most of the students or this place will become a real mess!"

"Booyaka!" Selphie exclaimed with a sorry face. "Not a clue either!"

Squall thanked them for trying and explained them the plan.

"We will gather the students a class after another without telling them the real purpose of this. We'll start with the junior classmen. Quistis?"

"I'll go take the lists."

Squall nodded and Quistis went away.

"Irvine and Selphie, get all the junior to the cafeteria."

They nodded and went different ways. Squall turned to Rinoa, all the seriousness of his face turned into concern.

"Are you sure you wanna do this? I don't know how long it will take."

Rinoa took his hands in hers.

"I'm gonna help you. After all, Zell is my friend too!"

Squall smiled.

"Alright. Then go to the library and get my sister. But be careful: she doesn't look the same that the day we found her!"

"I believe you," she giggled.

"I'll go get Seifer. We're gonna need his help to get control of the cafeteria and be sure nobody enters or exits it without being mind-read."

Rinoa was amazed how seriously Squall was taking his leader job. She stared at him in admiration.

"What?" Squall asked raising an eyebrow.

"Nothing," Rinoa smiled. "It's just that I never saw you like that before."

She put a quick kiss on his cheek and headed for the library. Squall traced her a few seconds before heading the opposite way, to the dormitory.

Squall knocked on the door for Seifer's room and waited. Nothing. He opened the door and took a look in.

"Seifer?" he called.

The room was empty. Wondering where could his old rival be when he saw all the paper scattered on the desk, he left the room. He walked out of the corridor when he saw Seifer coming in, heading for his room.

"Hey, Seifer!"

Seifer looked at him with an annoyed face.

"What do you want? I got work to do!"

"Forget it! I need your help right now!"

Seifer smirked.

"What? All mighty Sorceress's killer Squall Leonhart need the help of the disgraced knight that I am?" he said sarcastically.

"Stop joking around, this is serious!"

Seifer frowned at the tone and gave up his smile.

"Alright, what's going on?"

Squall briefed him.

"What? Chicken-wuss is missing also?"

"Yes, _Zell _is missing. And I need you to control the cafeteria so that we can control everyone entering and leaving. You just have to make sure nobody except the ones we expect enter it or it will be a total mess!"

"Alright, no big deal."

"Where are Raijin and Fujin? They might give you a hand."

"I'll go get them and we'll meet you at the cafeteria right away."

"Ok."

Squall headed back to the cafeteria while Seifer went to the Training Center where he knew his friends were.

'What's going on in this crazy place? People missing, Squall acting all serious leader, and I got a secret admirer? What next?' he thought.

Squall entered the Cafeteria and saw everyone was already there. Coran too. The juniors were all sat on the chairs and some on the floor because there was not enough chairs for everybody. Squall nodded to his friends and went in front of the juniors, wondering why they were meeting in the cafeteria.

"I don't know if you were told why you've been brought here so I'll brief it to you. You all know Sorceress Rinoa here," he pointed Rinoa standing by his side.

She bowed with a smile to the children. Some were looking curious, others a bit scared.

"She wants to test her powers on the students of Garden," Squall lied. "She's gonna read your mind one after another to see if there are some of you stronger than the others."

A young boy shyly lifted a hand and waited for Squall to give him the permission to talk.

"Does it hurt?" he asked a bit scared.

Rinoa crouched in front of him and smiled comfortingly.

"No, sweetie. Don't worry."

Squall looked at every kid, feeling like a kindergarten animator. He sighed for himself at the stupid thought.

"One after the other. Quistis will mark your names to be sure everyone went trough it. Understand?"

"Yes, Commander!" all the kids said in unison.

Squall took his head in his hand and moaned. His friends giggled.

"Quistis, it's up to you," he turned to Rinoa. "Be careful, okay?"

"What could happen? Don't worry, it will be just fine. And as you said, it's a good opportunity for me to test my powers."

Quistis looked on her list and called the first name on it. A girl got up, not too happy to be the first one. Rinoa invited her to a chair and she sat just in front of her.

"Now you just close your eyes and stay calm," she said softly. "It won't be long, I promise you."

Feeling comforted by the voice and the smile, the girl trustingly closed her eyes and took a deep breath to calm herself. Rinoa stared at the girl like if she was seeing through her. Just a few minutes past before Rinoa came back to normal.

"It's over, you can go now," she said with a smile.

She looked up at Quistis and shook her head. Quistis put a check mark on her list and called another name. Rinoa told the next kid the same thing she said to the precedent.

Squall looked at the phenomena a while before his attention was caught to the entrance. Seifer came in with Raijin and Fujin close behind. He went to them.

"Alright, just make sure nobody enter this place until I say so. Raijin and Fujin, you just make sure the kids are not too noisy. Rinoa needs to concentrate but I'm afraid this is gonna take a while so the kids might grow tire of this. I want you to entertain them if that happen."

Not too sure about this plan, Seifer's friends looked at their leader who nodded. The both of them then went into the crowd of kids. Fujin usually cold seemed to change in front of the kids. Some asked her questions about her hidden eye. Raijin on his side was feeling uneasy. The kids were amazed how dark he was, but he didn't know what to do with them.

Seifer smiled.

"I never saw them like that before. Didn't know Fujin liked kids."

"Whatever," Squall said turning to him. "You're gonna do the door job with Coran."

Hearing her name called, Coran approached.

"One of you each side of the door and you make sure…"

"…Nobody enters the Cafeteria unless you say so," Seifer cut in. "Alright, we know, we know."

He went to take his place.

"Door guarding, how boring!" he mumbled.

Coran cleared her throat and went the other side of the door, looking at Seifer.

Squall looked at them and smiled for himself. He still couldn't believe they both had feelings for each other and were not able to tell each other. Remembering he was doing a serious job, his smiled was replace by a formal face as he looked at Rinoa, concentrating to read another kid's mind, and Quistis calling a name after another and putting check marks each time Rinoa shook her head.

Irvine and Selphie were entertaining the kids along Raijin and Fujin. The kids were making fun of Selphie's hair until she put on Irvine's hat.

It took a little more than an hour before every junior went through the mind reading. Rinoa was looking perfectly well.

"So?" Squall asked to Quistis and her.

"Every junior was checked," she said looking on her list.

"You'll have great SeeDs in them," Rinoa said.

"Why?"

"Lots of them were thinking about study time they were losing because of this 'Stupid Testing'," she recited.

Squall laughed.

"How do you feel? Ready for more?"

She nodded.

"It's helping me, in fact. I can get better control of my own powers."

"Good," he looked to Quistis. "What next? The SeeD candidates?"

She nodded.

"Alright. Irvine, Selphie, Raijin and Fujin, get me every SeeD candidates of this Garden!"

Irvine and Selphie obeyed right away while Raijin and Fujin were looking at Seifer for confirmation of this order.

"Do as he says," he told them.

They left the Cafeteria.

Squall went to the door guards. Seifer was leaning against the wall, his hands behind his head and his legs crossed. Coran was standing the other side, her hands together on her skirt.

"How is it for you two?"

"Boring," Seifer said.

"We stopped a few angry students that were hungry. I suggested them to go in a near town meanwhile but I told them to come back after their lunch because we needed them too."

Squall nodded approvingly. He glanced at Seifer. Truly he was looking bored to the limit. The SeeD leader was feeling sorry for his twin. He thought that Seifer would take advantage of the situation to tell Coran how he felt for her until a doubt reached his mind.

'What if it's not her he likes?' he shook his head. 'No, it's gotta be her.'

He smiled to her.

"Keep up the work, you'll got to go through it too."

They both stared at him in disbelief.

"What?" Seifer exclaimed. "You suspect us too?"

"No, it's just to scan your minds in case of details you might not have noticed before but that could be important for us."

Seifer crossed his arms, not convinced.

"Why do you think we scanned the juniors too? They can't possibly be responsible for the disappearances."

The others came back with lot of students. There were more SeeD candidates than junior classmen this year. Squall invited them in and asked them to sit down where they could. 

"Why are we here?" a guy asked.

Squall explained everything just like he did for the juniors except he didn't use the same kind of words to explain. Some students were skeptics.

"It's really just a test?" a girl asked. "You're not looking for thieves or anything?"

"Why?" Squall asked raising an eyebrow and bending down the girl. "Have you done something you want to hide?" he asked suspiciously.

The girl promptly shook her head.

"No, of course not!"

Squall smiled.

"Then there's no problem! You better find something to do but try to stay quiet. The Sorceress needs to concentrate very hard."

The students looked at each other, wondering what they could do to kill time but that they could stay quiet doing it. Irvine saved the day.

"What about a Triple Triad tournament?"

Some students took out their own cards and went to the table Irvine sat on.

Squall silently thanked his friend. This should keep them busy for a while. Selphie decided to follow his example and took out her own cards. Raijin and Fujin just watched the games to make sure nobody, including Irvine and Selphie, was cheating.

Squall turned back to Quistis standing on Rinoa's side. She called a name and a girl came to sit down.

"At ease," Rinoa said. "Close your eyes and relax. This won't be long."

The girl trusted the girl and did as she said.

One by one, the SeeD candidates were called and scanned. Each time, Rinoa shook her head and Quistis put a check mark on her list. Some students took advantage of being in the cafeteria to eat something. More than an hour later, there was no more candidates left.

"Something new?" Squall inquired.

"No," Quistis said. "Every students went through it except the four missing ones."

"You wouldn't believe what kind of thoughts I heard!" Rinoa exclaimed blushing.

Squall guessed from her face what she could have heard. He turned to the others already waiting his orders.

"Do you want to take a break or we keep on going with it?"

He looked at them who were looking at each other. They shrugged.

"Let's get this over with!" Irvine smiled.

"Yeah!" Selphie agreed.

"Nothing else to do, ya know!" Raijin said.

"INTERRESTING!"

Squall smiled and turned to Seifer and Coran.

"What about you?"

Seifer shrugged from boredom and stretched himself a bit. Coran smiled.

"I don't bother."

"Alright, then now we'll go for the SeeD members," he turned to Quistis. "Any mission on the schedule?"

She switched her papers and read her notes.

"Nope! Everyone is supposed to be here."

"Perfect! Guys, you know what you got to do?"

They saluted with mocking smiles and left the cafeteria once again. Squall rubbed his sweating forehead with his sleeve and took off his jacket. Rinoa went to him, concerned.

"You should sit down a while."

"No, it's okay. I'm just not used to that kind of operation."

He looked at Quistis who was checking her list.

"After the SeeDs, we'll have the rest of the people: from the simple Committee member to Headmaster Cid himself. Then we'll be done and I sure hope we'll find something."

A few minutes later, the others came back with the SeeDs. There was even more SeeDs than candidates. Squall was surprised. He didn't know there was so much of them. His friends made them sit down and Squall went for his speech once again. He was afraid one student would end up asking about the missing ones. Fortunately, that didn't happen.

Here we go again for another turn of scanning. Each student was called one after another while Irvine and Selphie were entertaining them with card games. Squall finally decided to sit down, glancing at the entrance. Coran was looking his way before turning and tell something to Seifer. The blonde guy turned to him and both of them started laughing. Squall raised an eyebrow, wondering what could be so funny. On the other hand, he was happy Coran finally managed to talk to Seifer and glad Seifer answered it.

Squall got up and walked to them.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

They both smiled.

"Little secret," Coran said looking at Seifer who nodded.

"Secret?" Squall asked curious.

"It's about you, you looked dumb on that chair and we thought you were looking funny," Seifer explained.

Squall frowned, putting his fists on his hips.

"Hey! You can have fun together of you want bur not on me!"

He went back to his place, Coran and Seifer laughing behind him. He smiled to himself seeing they were getting along after all.

The names were called in alphabetical order.

"Leonhart, Squall," Quistis called.

Squall got up and went on the chair in front of Rinoa, feeling uncomfortable.

"Relax, Squall. Just don't think it's me in front of you and it will be fine. Now close your eyes and take a deep breath."

He did as Rinoa said. A few minutes later, she called him to open his eyes.

"It's finish," she said looking at him with a smile.

She shook her head to Quistis who check marked her list once more.

"What did you found?" Squall asked.

"Nothing for our purpose, but a lot for mine. You think too much, Squall."

Squall wondered what could she have read in his mind when another student was called. He went back to his place and waited.

"Tilmitt, Selphie," Quistis called after a while.

Selphie went to the chair and closed her eyes before Rinoa told her to do so. Rinoa scanned Selphie's mind for a while before shaking her head to Quistis. Then it was Quistis's turn. Same result: nothing.

The cafeteria went empty soon after. Squall inquired the news.

"All SeeDs except for Zell were here. Not a clue!"

Squall was discouraged, about to give up. Rinoa put a hand on his back to cheer him up.

"Come on, Squall! Just one more batch of people and we'll know if we did this for nothing!"

He smiled at her. When he turned to the others, they were gone. He looked around for them.

"Where is everyone?" he turned to Quistis for an answer.

"They know what they have to do so they took the initiative before you tell them to."

Not much time past before the last people from Garden show themselves with Irvine, Selphie, Raijin and Fujin to direct them. Once again, Squall explained the situation. He could see from the looks on the adults' faces that Cid had told them about the real purpose of this meeting. Only the Committee's members didn't know.

"Almasy, Seifer," Quistis read on her list once Squall was done.

Seifer looked her way and groaned. Coran put a hand on his arm, making him jump.

"What's wrong? Are you scared?" she asked with a mocking smile.

"Me?" he widened his eyes. "Ha! You'll see if I'm scared!"

He walked to Rinoa and sat in front of her, sulking.

"Calm down, Seifer or I won't be able to read your mind properly," she explained.

Seifer relaxed a bit, granting her a threatening look.

"Don't blame me if you see things you would rather not to see!"

He closed his eyes shut. Squall looked at his old rival, wondering if he was freely letting Rinoa in his mind. After a few minutes, it was over. Squall kept his breath as he saw Rinoa shake her head to Quistis. Squall heard a sigh of relief from behind him. He turned around to see who did that before Seifer speaking to Rinoa catch his attention.

"See? I told you I didn't have anything to do about it!"

He went back to his place near the door, Squall tracing him. Coran asked him something once he was there but he couldn't hear. Then he guessed it was her he heard sighing a minute ago. He wondered why. Was she afraid Seifer would have been responsible?

Other people were called.

"Kadowaki," Quistis called.

The doctor came and did as she was told. Nothing helpful from her.

"Kinneas, Irvine."

Irvine was smiling walking to the chair and Squall was afraid he knew why: Irvine _wanted_ Rinoa to see what he had in mind. Squall frowned when Rinoa shook her head to Quistis, blushing. Irvine was laughing along with Selphie. Probably she knew what he showed Rinoa.

"Kramer, Cid."

Nothing from the Headmaster either.

Raijin and Fujin went through it too. Fujin had to kick Raijin to make him go to the chair.

"COWARD!"

Nothing from them either.

"Leonhart, Coran."

Coran was the last one. Squall was reluctant of letting Rinoa read her mind. He was afraid that _she_ would know something. He just crossed his fingers his sister didn't have anything to do with it until he saw Rinoa frown in her concentration. He walked to her, soon joined by the others. They were all making a circle around the two girls. Coran was looking calm through her closed eyelids. Finally, Rinoa said it was over and once again, slowly shook her head to Quistis.

"Impossible!" Quistis objected. "Everybody was questioned, don't tell me nobody here knows what happened!"

Rinoa was breathing faster like if she just made a big ride.

"Are you ok?" he asked in concern.

"Yes."

"Why was it looking harder to read Coran's mind?"

Coran raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"It was?" she asked.

"Probably the fact that you lived by yourself for so long made your mind stronger. At least, nothing was kept away from me. I learned quite interesting things today."

She winked around. Cid, who was still there, asked for the results.

"Nothing, sir," Squall answered deceived. "We did this for absolutely nothing!"

"You sure you scanned everybody?" 

Quistis doubled check her list.

"Except for the five people missing, yes, sir!"

Cid gave the gang a sorry look.

"I'm sure we'll find something soon enough. Don't worry."

He was telling them not to worry while he was himself. He left the cafeteria, concerned.

"We can reopen the cafeteria, now. We don't need to keep it close for everyone anymore."

Rinoa got up and almost lost her balance from dizziness. Squall caught her.

"Are you alright?"

"Just a little weak. All that mind reading exhausted me. Lots of people don't have pure hearts if you ask me," she said glancing at Irvine who laughed uncomfortably.

"Anyway, let's eat something, what you say?" Squall proposed.

It was getting late and everyone was starving. They all jumped up in agreement, even Raijin and Fujin.

"Where is Seifer?" Coran asked looking around.

Everyone looked around too.

"HIDING?" Fujin supposed.

"Not like him, ya know."

Rinoa smiled.

"Lot of things are not like him, but he still does it."

Not replying to the curious glances the others gave her, she walked to the counter.

"Let's eat."

Seifer walked eagerly to his room, burning in shame and anger.

'What if she saw 'it'? What if Rinoa now knows about my love?' he stopped walking, afraid.

"What if she tells her?" he asked himself out loud. 


	8. Time For Romance... And Discoveries

Chapter 7: Time for Romance…and Discoveries ****

Chapter 7: Time for Romance…and Discoveries

The day ended slowly for the worried ones. They were desperate they'd never found Zell and the others. They had supper all together except for Seifer. Coran was looking nervous, constantly looking at her watch (a gift from Squall). Squall was wondering what she could be so nervous about, but Rinoa, reading his mind as usual, reassured him with a smile. She read Coran's mind so she knew what she was thinking about. As she read her mind, she didn't have much more to learn from her, but she still tried to make some kind of conversation. They were becoming friends pretty fast and Squall was happy for that.

Except for Rinoa and Coran, they almost didn't talk, all worried. Squall the most of them. As the leader, he was feeling responsible for all those disappearances. He couldn't do anything about it and it was making him angry. Feeling helpless was one of the things he hated most.

Finally, it was time for curfew. Everybody went to the dorms, all feeling as helpless as Squall. They waved to each other before going to bed. Rinoa was about to leave herself, but Coran retained her.

"Hum, Rinoa? Can you stay here tonight? I know I won't be able to sleep and I would like to talk to someone for a while."

Looking at Squall for approbation, he nodded with a smile and disappeared in his room. Rinoa then turned to Coran.

"Sure!"

Coran smiled and invited Rinoa in her room. She offered Rinoa to sleep in her bed while she would sleep on the floor in a sleeping bag. Coran was still feeling pretty nervous and Rinoa knew why.

"When are you gonna meet him?" Rinoa asked facing Coran in the bed.

Coran was resting on her back, looking at the ceiling while Rinoa had her head in her hand, her elbow on the bed. Coran turned to her.

"You know, huh? You read my mind, so you know I'm gonna meet somebody in the Secret Area."

Rinoa smiled but Coran couldn't see her face in the darkness of her room, only her figure.

"So?"

"At midnight," Coran answered.

"How exciting! Meeting a guy after curfew in a romantic place!"

"You must know who it is too, don't you?"

Rinoa kept silent for a while. Coran thought she suddenly fell asleep when she heard a sigh.

"Yes, I know. I'm not the one who'll tell you what to do. I can just wish he shares your feelings."

Coran turned on her side, facing the bed.

"You…know him don't you?"

Rinoa sighed again.

"Yes. I loved him before I loved Squall. We spent a great summer together. I would like to leave it in the past if you don't mind."

The noise coming from Coran taught Rinoa she was shaking her head.

"I know what he did to you, Rinoa. He threw you to Adel."

"You know everything?"

"Yeah. And with the details."

She switched on her back once more, her hands behind her head and sighed again.

"I can't believe my brother was so cold hearted and he changed because of you."

"What exactly do you know?"

"Everything. It was like a fairy tale with monsters, witches and knights… Except the witches are very dangerous and the knights are on their side…"

"I beg your pardon?" Rinoa exclaimed upset.

"Oh, it's true! You're a Sorceress and Squall is your Knight! I'm sorry."

She kept silent a minute then giggled.

"Anyway, like every story, there is a part I better like than the others."

"Which is?"

"Hum…Not sure. In the Ragnarok or the party, maybe. Or maybe when Squall freed you from the Sorceress' Memorial… or when he kissed you for the first time on the Garden balcony, or when you were in a coma, or…"

"Okay, okay! The romantic parts if you ask me!"

The girls laughed together.

They talked a little more before Rinoa finally fell asleep. Coran got up and went to turn on the lamp on her desk to see the time. Half an hour before midnight. She couldn't stand it anymore! She was already dressed up because she was in her sleeping bag dressed up. She carefully opened the door not to wake Rinoa up and left the room. She silently walked out of the dorms and headed for the Training Center. It was the only place in Garden that was opened all night. Some students liked training during night when they couldn't sleep. Coran wasn't expecting a fight and truly hoped she wouldn't encounter any monster, not even stupid Grats. They were quite easy to beat but she wasn't in the mood for fighting.

She hid herself from a couple of Grats before walking again to the Secret Area. She was feeling nervous, but not because of what was to come. She was afraid, that's what she was feeling. She was almost there when she heard a growling sound. Recognizing the sound of a T-Rexaur for what Squall had taught her when he showed her around, she knew it was already too late. Feeling her heart stop beating for a second, she ran to the place, not daring to look behind her. She was almost there when the monster jumped in front of her, growling furiously down her. She fell on her back and screamed. The monster was looking pretty mad and hungry, passing its tongue on its teeth. Coran swallowed hard and got up on her shaking legs. She knew there was nothing to do except fight.

'I'm not ready for that kind of monster,' she thought. 'I learned to take care of myself with my fists but I always avoided that kind of monster. What should I do?'

She jumped aside when the monster ran its head towards her. She frowned and punched it furiously with a scream for courage. The Rex didn't seem really disturbed by the blow, more annoyed from it than anything else. Coran jumped backward in fighting position, frowning to the Rex. It dashed to her and she jumped aside at the last second, sending the Rex bang on a tree. Taking advantage of the situation, she jumped on it and punched it again and again, furiously. This time it appeared to do some kind of damage but not enough. She stepped aside, watching it get up and growl with anger. She was breathing fast, too fast.

'I'm… I'm not gonna make it…'

The Rex dashed to her once again, teeth first.

'Seifer…'

The rest happened so fast the first thing Coran noticed was that she was sitting on the floor in the Secret Area. There was a couple in the corner, but except for her, nobody else. She scratched her head, frowning.

'What happened? The last thing I remember is the T-Rexaur dashing to me, but then…'

She widened her eyes in horror.

'No… Don't tell me it happened again?!'

She was so concentrated in her thoughts she didn't notice the feet in front of her.

"Hey," a voice called.

She shook her head to get out of her thoughts and looked in front of her. Her heartbeat fastened when she saw the dark boots. She slowly looked up and her eyes shone when they met Seifer's. He was dressed as usual except he didn't have his trench coat on. There was something on his face she never saw before. He wasn't frowning, something really unusual to him. She opened her mouth to say something but she had to try twice before something came out of it.

"Seifer, you came," she whispered. "I was afraid you wouldn't come."

He offered her his hand and she took it so he helped her up. Then she noticed something else: Seifer wasn't wearing his gloves. How soft his hand was in hers…

"Why?" he asked.

She turned her back to him.

"I… I don't know. I was afraid you would figure out who wrote the letter and not come."

He cleared his throat, nervous.

"Well in fact I actually figured it out…that's why I came. I wanted to be sure I wasn't dreaming."

She turned around to face him. She never heard him speak that way. His voice was so soft to her ears, so peaceful. He was taller than she was, but she didn't mind at all. She looked in his blue eyes to find if he was telling the truth. Seifer was feeling uneasy. He looked down and scratched the back of his head.

"You serious?" she asked hopefully.

He made a step closer to her. They were just a few inches away from each other.

"If I wasn't, do you think I would be here?"

She shook her head.

"Why do you wanted to meet me here?" he asked already knowing the answer.

Coran was growing more nervous by the minute.

"Don't you know?" she asked softly.

"I…think so, but I want to hear it from you."

She was really hot. She felt like she was burning from the inside of her. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

'Go for it!' she scolded herself. 'He came here so go for it! Tell him!'

"I… I love you, Seifer."

There, she said it. Now she was retaining her breath, waiting for Seifer's reaction. She didn't dare looking at his face, afraid she would see reject on it. Instead, he took her chin and gently lifted it.

"I was afraid I was the only on feeling that way," he said with some kind of relief.

"What do you mean?"

"Don't you know?" he asked with a smile using the same tone she had earlier.

"I think so, but I want to hear it from you," she said with a smile too.

"I… I love you, Coran."

It was hard to believe, Seifer Almasy, ex-Sorceress' knight was feeling nervous in front of a girl he met just a few days ago. All his self-assurance was gone.

Coran smiled, happier than ever.

"It was hard, but once it's done it feels so great," she said.

The both of them turned to the balcony, looking to the horizon. 

"I knew you couldn't be like the others told me you were," she said after a few minutes of silence.

Seifer looked at her, his elbows on the balcony.

"The others told you about me?"

"Yes, I know everything you've done."

Seifer bit his lip, afraid this would ruin everything.

"But I don't care," she continued. "The day Squall introduced me to you, I had this feeling I thought would tear me apart."

"Yeah, me too."

They turned to face each other.

"Do you think you can love a guy like me? You know what I've done…"

"I told you I didn't care. And you? Do you think you can love your rival's twin sister?"

He went closer to her.

"I don't care," he whispered.

He put a hand behind her neck to take her even closer and he bent down. They closed their eyes when their lips locked. Coran put a hand on Seifer's chest, not thinking about anything else beside the present time.

Coran woke up in Seifer's arms. They were sat in the Secret Area. 

'We spent the night here?' she asked herself. 

Then she smiled when she looked up to see Seifer's sleeping face. She pinched herself to be sure it wasn't a dream. Feeling the pain from her pinching, she smiled even more and rested herself against Seifer. He had his arms around her like if he was afraid she would be gone once he woke up. She sighed, feeling better than ever.

"You slept well?" 

She looked up and met Seifer's smiling face. She smiled back (lot of smiling in this fic, don't you think?).

"Better than ever," she answered.

They were about to kiss when a voice was heard.

"Booyaka!! If I knew I would live long enough to see that!"

Coran and Seifer jumped. Selphie was standing on the entrance, looking at them. She giggled.

"Hey, guys!" she called behind her. "Come quick! You have to see that!"

"What?" Irvine asked arriving.

Squall, Rinoa and Quistis were close behind. Irvine whistled.

"My, my! What a cute couple you too make!"

Coran and Seifer got up, blushing. Seifer frowned at them.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"It's my fault," Rinoa said with a sorry look. "When I woke and saw Coran wasn't there, I was afraid she could have disappeared like the other students."

Coran reassured her.

"No, not a chance. I was here all the time."

"With Seifer?" Squall asked.

Coran looked at her beloved.

"Yeah, with Seifer."

Seifer put an arm around Coran's shoulders possessively.

"Yeah, with me. I was there to protect her."

"That's what I was afraid of," Quistis said under her breath.

Seifer frowned even more.

"What did you say?"

"Forget it, Seifer," Squall commanded.

Irvine and Selphie were already out of the place.

"Yaaaahh!!!" Selphie screamed.

Everyone quickly went to them to see why she was screaming. She was pointing something in tight bushes, terrified.

"What is it?" Squall asked taking a look.

He jumped backward suddenly.

"God, what is that?"

There was a dead creature, carbonized and still smoking. Rinoa and the others bent to take a look. Rinoa pinched her nose in disgust.

"It stinks!!"

Seifer was the only one to get close to it. It was pretty big.

"T-Rexaur," he said.

"What?" everyone exclaimed.

"Impossible!" Selphie said. "Nothing can do that to a T-Rexaur, never!"

"Not a creature from this Center, at least," Quistis added, thoughtful.

"Not even magic can toast it like that!" Irvine said.

"And I don't know any Sorceress that could do that, either," Rinoa completed.

"You know just two Sorceresses, Rinoa," Seifer objected. "Edea and you."

They kept silence, wondering what could be powerful enough to turn a T-Rexaur into that burned mass of skin and bones.

"Maybe it has something to do with the disappearances," Coran suggested.

"I don't think so, but you never know," Squall said. "Quistis, inform the Headmaster right away to make an announcement about this so that every students should be more careful than before when they come to the Training Center."

"Yes!"

She left the place. Squall turned to Coran and Seifer, his old rival having an arm around Coran's shoulders protectively.

"It appears to have happened a while ago or so. You two didn't hear anything?"

They thought about it then shook their heads. Coran totally forgot about the encounter with a T-Rexaur she had the past night. 

"Well from now on, you all be careful. And Coran, don't ever come back here by yourself, okay?"

He sounded so serious and concerned Coran nodded right away.

"Now let's get out of here."

The gang left the Training Center and the smoking sorry excuse for a T-Rexaur.

They heard Cid make the announcement the second they were out of the center. Then screams were heard and they wondered if it was due to the announcement or…something else. All ready to defend themselves if it was needed and Seifer standing in front of Coran, they ran to the source of the screams. Then it was identified as surprised screams, so they slowed down. There were people near the Directory and on the bottom of the stairs to the elevator. Squall pushed them aside to see what was going on. Quistis came back from Cid's office in the same time and joined him.

"What's going on?" she asked Squall.

"That's what I'm about to find out."

Then they saw four students wearing SeeD candidates' uniforms lying on the floor, apparently unconscious. Squall widened his eyes.

"Quistis, aren't they…?"

"It's…the missing students!!"

She asked somebody to go get the doctor while she was inquiring if those four were still alive. While she was doing that with the help of the others to calm the witnesses, Squall was scanning the floor in hope to find Zell along. He soon had to face the truth: he wasn't. Discouraged, he went back to Quistis.

"So?"

"The pulse is very slow, they are so weak it's like if they were drained from their energy, all of them."

"Will they survive?" Selphie asked.

"Oh, sure. They are very weak but not in danger."

She turned to Squall and saw his desperate face.

"I thought Zell would be there too," he explained.

"He's gotta be here if he was gone with them," Coran supposed.

"That is _if_ he was gone with them," Irvine said.

The doctor arrived and the weak students were carried to the infirmary. Later, the gang was talking about it in the cafeteria.

"Too confusing!" Selphie exclaimed.

"Let's start from the beginning," Squall said.

Quistis nodded.

"First: five students including a SeeD disappeared in the same time for what we know," she said.

"Second: that T-Rexaur burned up in the Training Center and nobody heard anything," Irvine continued.

"And third: four of the missing students are found out of nowhere drained from their energy," Selphie concluded.

She leant backward on her chair, holding her head.

"Ugh! I don't understand!"

"Let's wait for the students to wake up, then we'll ask them," Seifer proposed to calm her down.

"Good idea," Squall commented.

"What I think," Coran started, "is that they never left the Garden."

She decided to explain further seeing their confused faces.

"They all disappeared without anyone to notice, right? Nothing was heard, no ransom demands, right? And they were found in the middle of Garden this morning, right? If somebody kidnapped them in the first place, somebody would have see or hear. And if they were brought back here, somebody would know something! There's no way you can kidnap five persons without anyone to notice, it's impossible! Even less get four back in the same time, no way! And for Zell? He looks pretty strong and noisy so we would have heard him if he was kidnapped. What I say is that it happened here. Considering bringing them all four back here in the same time all of a sudden is impossible…"

"I see what you mean," Rinoa cut in. "Magic, huh?"

"Exactly."

They all thought about what Coran said, trying to find another possibility, but they had to admit it was the only one possible.

"How do you know about that?" Quistis asked suspiciously. 

"I don't know, I guessed!"

"Cut it out, Quistis," Seifer interrupted. "She was scanned like all the others and nothing was found, so leave her alone."

He gave her a threatening look, defying her to accuse Coran once again. Quistis shrugged.

"_If_ magic is involved and _if_ the students were really all together," Squall said, "we can expect to see him soon too, so I want you all to pay great attention to everything. You come find me the second you find Zell if you ever do so."

They all nodded, before getting up to get something to eat. When they sat back on their table, Kadowaki entered the Cafeteria and went to them.

"How are the students?" Quistis asked.

"They will be just fine after a little rest."

She looked concerned and thoughtful what made Squall frown.

"Something wrong, doctor?"

She looked at him.

"I can't figure out what could make them like that! The four of them had marks of ropes or something on their wrists."

"So they _were_ kidnapped!" Irvine exclaimed.

"I guess so. They will soon wake up if you want to question them."

Squall got up, followed by the others but he signalled them to stay there.

"I'll go alone…no, on second thought, Rinoa, you come too."

While the others sat back, Rinoa understood the purpose he wanted for her.

"You want me to scan them?"

He nodded without a word and they followed Kadowaki out of the Cafeteria, heading for the infirmary. The others traced them. Seifer shrugged.

"What are they hoping for? Find Zell through those students?"

"Probably try to know who kidnapped them and where they were taken," Coran explained.

Seifer smiled to her. Selphie giggled.

"Coran, you're probably the sole person who can act smarter than Seifer and not being scolded by him."

Everyone laughed except Seifer who granted her a mad frown. Then he laughed along.


	9. Not Much Clues For More Questions

Chapter 8: Not Much Clues for More Questions ****

Chapter 8: Not Much Clues for More Questions

Squall and Rinoa entered the Infirmary behind Kadowaki. She invited them to then resting students. There were three girls and a guy. The guy and one of the girls were awake. Squall walked to the guy after asking Kadowaki to leave them alone. Rinoa sat down between the two and Squall stood by her side, looking at them. They still looked pretty weak and there was fear in their eyes. They were younger than Squall so he try to take care of his elder-leader job and went on a knee to reassure them.

"Whatever you went through, it's over now," he said with a smile.

They seemed comfort from his soft tone, but there was still great fear on their faces.

"Now, I would like to tell me what happened," he tried to sound the most calm possible not to scare them even more they already were.

"It… It was hell," the girl said in a shaking hoarse voice.

Squall slowly turned to her.

"Tell me everything."

She nodded nervously.

"I was coming out of my room to attend my class when… somebody came to speak to me."

"Who?"

"I…I don't know."

"A girl or a guy?"

"I don't know," the girl answered growing more nervous.

"What do you mean, you don't know?" Squall asked a bit louder than he wanted too.

The girl bit her lip in a guilt face and started to cry softly. Squall sighed as an apology and Rinoa held her for comfort.

"I'm sorry, I didn't meant to be rude. It's just that we were all so worried about you four,"

'And that you might help find the other one missing,' he thought.

"Four? But we were five there."

'Five? Then they were together!'

"Now tell me how come you don't know who talked to you," he asked softer.

"Something was done to us," the guy spoke. "I can't remember a thing about who talked to me and took me to that place or where it was. The only things I remember is that I was tied up from my wrist and I was feeling my energy leave my body. I feel like I was there forever!"

Squall turned to him.

"It's true. We were all tied up and I couldn't see a thing because my eyes were blinded. I could only here the voice of that… person," the girl said.

"What kind of voice?"

"Can't remember," the guy said. "I can still remember what it said, but not the tone."

Squall turned to Rinoa for an explanation. She stood in front of the girl and told her to close her eyes, saying she wanted to scan her mind if she could find somewhere about the place or the mysterious kidnapper.

"Will it hurt?" the girl asked worried.

"No," Rinoa answered with a comfort smile.

The girl nodded and did as she was told. Squall and the cadet looked at the girls until Rinoa said her to open her eyes.

"So?" Squall asked with hope.

"Brainwashed," Rinoa diagnosed looking at him. "Was erase of their mind what the person wanted them to forget. I bet 'he' expect us to look for the place."

"It doesn't help much," Squall said.

"What I'm sure of is that they never left Garden. Not a second."

"You sure?"

"Positive."

"Alright."

He turned to the youths.

"What do you remember the person said?"

"'He' never spoke to us, only to the SeeD," the guy said.

"The SeeD?" Squall asked faking ignorance.

"I don't know who it is. 'He' kept addressing him as 'SeeD'. But that SeeD was a guy, I'm sure of it because I heard him threaten our jailer."

"What did you jailer said?"

"He was saying: 'Once I'll have the energy I can get from you, you won't be of anymore use for me.'"

"And what did the SeeD replied?"

"'You coward! Fight like a man and I'll kick your ass!'"

Squall couldn't help smiling.

"That's Zell, alright."

"Then he screamed from high pain," the girl said.

Squall lost his smile and looked worried.

"Our jailer made him suffer and said it was for his insolence of not knowing who he was talking to."

Squall rubbed his chin.

"We found only you four cadets," he finally said.

"Then 'he' must have needed the SeeD a little longer," the guy explained. "That's why he said that to us before we fainted."

"What did he said?"

"'He' said: 'You worthless Cadets! You already don't have anything left for me! What a relief I took the SeeD along! He got much more energy than you all put together!'" he paused.

"Then?"

He shook his head.

"I fainted."

"Me too," the girl added.

Squall shook his head. That didn't help them much. He was just more worried about Zell than before.

"Thank you. Now you rest and you'll report that to the Headmaster once you're fully recovered."

He saluted the two of them and left with Rinoa, heading back to the Cafeteria.

The others were still there, apparently waiting for them. Seifer had an arm around Coran's shoulders. Squall had a smile, not used to that situation and wondering if he would ever be.

Rinoa and him sat with the others and told them what they just learned. They all frowned, thoughtful.

"This doesn't help us at all!" Selphie exclaimed.

"What is this story of brainwashing?" Seifer asked skeptical. "Nobody would be stupid enough to let themselves be brainwash unless they are very weak."

"You said it," Quistis cut him. "They were probably very weak already."

"But Selph is right," Irvine said. "This doesn't help us. We still don't have any idea where Zell could be or who did that!"

"I'm sure we'll find out soon enough," Rinoa assured. "If the responsible thinks he can get more energy from SeeDs than anybody else, you should all watch your back."

"I don't have to worry about it: I'm not a SeeD. Coran and Irvine either."

"Yes, but you are still more powerful than Cadets, aren't you?" Squall asked.

Seifer raised an eyebrow.

"Since when do you think I'm powerful?"

"I fought you in the past, remember? I know what is strength."

Then he turned to Rinoa.

"You're not a SeeD either, but since you got great power, you could be a tasty prey. So I ask you never walk around Garden alone."

She nodded, touched by his concern.

"Maybe 'he' has enough energy yet," Coran suggested. "Maybe 'he' won't be against anybody else."

Squall shook his head.

"I don't think so, but I still hope you're right."

"We have to face the truth," Quistis added. "If 'he' needed energy –who knows why– 'he' will probably not stop here. If 'he' needs energy, 'he' probably needs a lot."

"Yeah, but the most time we spend here talking about the probabilities, that jerk is _probably_ becoming stronger!" Seifer exclaimed.

"You must be right," Coran agreed. "But there's nothing we can do: we don't know who it is and we don't know where 'he' is hiding."

Seifer quickly got up, frowning at everyone, but not looking at Coran.

"Well I'm not gonna stay on my butt while a stupid energy sucker threat the Garden!"

He walked to the exit. Coran quickly got up too with the others.

"I think you're the only one he would listen to, Coran," Squall said. "Don't let him do anything stupid."

"Of course."

She ran after Seifer.

"Seifer, wait up!" she called.

The both of them were soon out of sight. The others sat back, wondering what they could do to find that mysterious person.

"Squall!!!" screamed a voice from out of the Cafeteria. Squall got up in a flash.

"It's Coran! Let's go!"

They all ran out of the place but didn't went very far. They saw Coran holding Zell in her arms next to the Training Center's entrance's corridor. They all froze in shock. Squall was the first one to snap out of it.

"Coran! Zell!" he called running to them.

Brought back to their senses from Squall's call, the others followed. Seifer was standing next to Coran. Squall let himself fall on his knees beside his sister, staring at Zell's pale unconscious face. He had minor wounds all over his body, like he was shocked by some kind of power. Those wounds recalled Squall the ones he had when Seifer tortured him in the D-District prison. 

Zell was breathing with difficulty, looking very weak. Squall was relieved to see him but worried from his state.

"Zell! Say something!" he pleaded.

He looked at Coran.

"You found him just now?"

"Hum… Would you believe me if I tell you he came out of nowhere and almost landed on me?"

"Huh?"

"It's true," Seifer said. "Coran has caught me and we were talking. I began to walk away and turned around to see him fall out of nowhere. Don't ask me!"

Squall turned to his friends standing by his side.

"Quistis, get Kadowaki!"

"Yes," she answered and ran to the infirmary wondering why it was always her to get the people.

Squall looked back at Zell, checking the pulse. Slow.

"Zell, hold on," he pleaded.

The unconscious SeeD weakly moved his lips. Squall bent down over his face to hear what he was saying.

"It still…needs…more…ener…gy," he said in a so low tone only Squall knew he said something.

"It still needs more energy? Zell, how do you know that?" Squall urged him.

But Zell was unconscious again.

Unable to wait for Kadowaki's arrival, Squall lifted Zell in his arms and carried him to the infirmary, followed by the others. They met Quistis and the doctor on their way and carried Zell in a room. Then Kadowaki asked Squall and the others to wait outside while she was treating him. Squall reluctantly obeyed. He sat on a chair in Kadowaki's office. The others were standing in front of him.

"I'm not gonna waiting for his awakening to learn things I already know!" Seifer objected. "I got work to do!"

Squall looked at him angrily.

"Nobody asked you to stay!"

He rested his elbows on his knees and took his head in his hands. Rinoa went behind him to pat his back. Seifer frowned, biting his lip and left, Coran close behind after granting her brother a sorry look he didn't saw.

"Not that I'm bored, Squall, but I need some training," Irvine said sorry. "I'll come back after."

Squall gently swung his hand to show he didn't care. Then Irvine left too.

"I'll train with him," Selphie added. "It's not safe to be alone."

Squall nodded in approbation and followed Irvine.

"Even if I'm not an Instructor anymore, I still have work and I'm late on my schedule."

"Fine, go you too."

She wanted to add something but Rinoa signaled her to forget it. Quistis left.

"Why don't you go too?" Squall asked Rinoa bitterly.

"I got nothing to do," she kneeled by his side and put a hand on his arm. "They are just as worried as you are, Squall. They are trying to focus on something else not to fall in the same depressed state you already fell in."

Squall looked at her in disbelief.

"I'm not depressed!"

She smiled at him.

"Look at yourself: anything makes you mad, you worried for things you can't do anything about."

"That's why I'm mad! Because I would like to do something to help it!"

She rubbed his arm gently and didn't say anything more.

"You didn't have to be so rude, you know?" Coran said walking by Seifer's side.

He glanced at her.

"What do you mean?"

She frowned and took his arm to make him stop and look at her. He seemed surprise from her angry face.

"There are other ways to say you got work to do!"

She faced him her back and crossed her arms on her chest. Seifer raised an eyebrow from such actions. He was about to reply with his fists on his hops when he heard sobbing. Then his angry face vanished, replaced for a sorry one as he took her gently by the shoulders to make her face him. She kept her head down, refusing to face him. He gently lifted her chin to see tears running down her cheeks. Then sadness appeared on his own face seeing hers. He hugged her, not even thinking about the curious people passing by.

"Come on, don't cry," he whispered in her ear.

She looked up at him.

"Why do you have to act like that in front of Squall? I couldn't believe all the bad things they told me about you, but now I'm beginning to believe them."

He hugged her tighter, gently rocking her.

"I don't know…"

"You're so sweet with me. Are you afraid to show that new side of you to your old rival and his friends? Are you afraid to show that you love me in front of them?"

"What are you talking about?" he asked with an amused smile. "I had my arm around you, haven't I?"

"Yes, but I could feel you were reluctant. I thought it was just to say: 'hey, look at me! I got a girlfriend!'"

Seifer didn't know if he should laugh from the tone she used or shut up from her serious face. He chose to shut up.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to act like that. I didn't notice."

He was looking so serious and sorry; Coran wiped away her tears and granted him her most beautiful smile. He felt like melting from that smile. He bent over her.

"You'll see what I think of what people can think about me…"

She closed her eyes when he kissed her and wrapped her arms around his neck. He wrapped his own around her waist. When he moved a little backward, he smiled to her.

"Show everyone the different Seifer you show me, the one nobody else know."

"Maybe…"

A fading noise caught their attention.

"What was that?" Seifer asked still holding Coran from her waist.

"It was coming from the Training Center!" she answered her voice growing louder with the sentence.

They looked at each other, both starting to worry as they were thinking the same thing.

"Irvine and Selphie!!" they exclaimed in the same time.

They both ran to the Training Center. Once they were in, Seifer asked Coran to stay behind him as he took his gunblade. They walked in, looking around for their friends.

"Irvine!! Selphie!" Coran called.

Seifer didn't call. He thought Coran's voice was enough. Besides, he didn't know if he could call them 'friends'. Something caught his interest.

"Coran…" he whispered.

She looked at him to know what was going on. She just followed his glance to something black on the ground. She ran to the object with wide eyes, Seifer on her tail. She kneeled and took the object in her hands.

"Irvine's hat…"

"Squall!!" Coran called running to him. 

He was standing next to the bed Zell was lying on. He turned to her, seeing fear and concern all over her face. Then his sight was locked on the object she had in her hand and couldn't leave it.

"I truly hope this hat doesn't belong to the person I think it belongs to," he said.

She nodded sadly to him.

"Irvine and Selphie disappeared too!"

"You found this in the Training Center?"

She nodded.

"We were standing close to it when we heard a fade noise," Seifer explained.

Squall nodded.

"If it's from the same person, we'll wait a while before seeing them again."

"At least, we'll see them again," a weak voice behind Squall said.

Squall quickly turned around to meet Zell's weak smiling face.

"Zell! Are you alright?"

The weak SeeD nodded, closing his eyes.

"I've been better, believe me."

Squall was very relieved.

"I believe you, don't worry!"

"Now I guess you want me to tell you where I was, or you already questioned the Cadets?"

Squall nodded.

"We already did and it didn't help us at all! What happened?"

"After you left me that morning, I went to the Cafeteria to get some hot dogs."

"I know, I asked the girl there."

"I was thinking of having more training by myself when somebody talked to me at the exit."

"Let me guess," Seifer cut in. "You can't remember."

Zell slowly shook his head.

"Something was done to us in there. I can't remember who did that, but I can easily remember the pain!"

He grimaced at the memory.

"What exactly was done to you?" Coran asked.

"Electric shocks, I was slapped a few times too. Nothing really bothering but with such strength! I don't know why, but I would say it was a girl."

"A girl powerful enough to carry five people in the same time!? Don't be silly!" Seifer exclaimed.

"Oh, we were not taken there all in the same time. I was the last one."

"But the Cadets were brought back all in the same time!"

Silence for a few minutes.

"How were you receiving the shocks?" Squall asked shivering at the recall of the shocks he received himself ago, thanks to Seifer.

"From the front of me, like she was sending them directly to me. I was tied up from the wrist and my feet too."

"The others weren't tied by the feet!"

"The others were a little more obedient than I was," Zell answered with a smirk.

Squall laughed a little, not surprised at all.

"You said she was the one throwing those electric shocks at you?" Coran asked.

"Yup! And it had nothing to do with thunder related magic."

Rinoa entered then, back from the washroom. She heard the final sentence.

"It can't be! I would have known, or at least Edea!"

Squall, Coran and Seifer turned to her while Zell tried to lift his head from his pillow.

"What are you talking about?" Squall asked her.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but this is the doings of a Sorceress…"


	10. Another Sorceress?

Chapter 9: Another Sorceress ****

Chapter 9: Another Sorceress?

"What?" Edea exclaimed once Rinoa was done telling her everything.

The former Sorceress came to Garden as it was asked her. It sounded so important and urgent she came right away. Rinoa and Squall met her in the Headmaster's office.

"Another Sorceress? Impossible! I would have known!"

Even if she gave her powers to Rinoa, Edea still had some of the Sorceress's skills. One of them was to sense strong powers, very strong like Sorceresses'.

"I can't think of any other option," Rinoa said. "There's no way any mortal could be so powerful."

"If what you say is true, then I'm afraid we're facing a so powerful Sorceress that she can hide from our sensing powers."

Squall widened his eyes.

"Then that would mean…"

Edea nodded to him gravely.

"Yes, my child. That would mean she is more powerful than Ultimecia…"

While their friends were meeting Edea and Zell was resting, Seifer decided to give Coran a few lessons about fighting. He showed her how to draw magic and junction them to her fists -which now were gloved, thanks to Zell- depending of the monster's weaknesses. It appeared very effective on Grats, Bite Bugs and Caterchipillars. Seifer looked at his pupil proudly.

"Guess you're ready for T-Rexaur," he said.

Suddenly, a strange image flashed in her mind. With a moan, she clenched her head. Concern, Seifer ran to her side.

"What's wrong?"

"N…nothing. Guess I'm scared. T-Rexaur are so powerful."

"Don't you worry. I won't let you fight alone; I'll be fighting too. I'll let you finish it so you can get the most experience."

"Alright, if you say you'll help me."

"Then let's go."

They walked deeper in the Training Center, expecting growling sounds or heavy footsteps. Their patience was soon rewarded as an angry monster came out of the bushes, blocking them the way.

"We don't have any choice. If we want to get through, we'll have to destroy it. You're ready?" Seifer asked Coran placing himself in fighting position looking at her.

She nodded swallowing hard. She took a deep breath and stood in fighting position as well, frowning at the beast.

"What is the most effective way to defeat a T-Rexaur?" Seifer asked like a teacher.

"Junction sleep or blind magic to the weapon or use it against it."

Seifer smiled.

"Exactly. Are you junctionned to any of those?"

"Both," she answered with a smile.

"Good. I'll catch its attention and you fight it from the back, ok?"

She nodded and jumped aside when the Rex dashed towards them. Seifer jumped the other side, slashing the monster with his gunblade.

"Over here!" he called.

The Rex growled furiously and followed Seifer. Coran was scared for her beloved but she knew it wasn't his first battle. She put herself together and jumped on the dinosaur, punching it with all her strength. She had to say it was more effective with gloves than bare hands and less painful too.

She jumped down the Rex and watched it fall on its side, asleep.

"Good job! Now give it all you've got!"

She dashed the T-Rex and punched it once again, giving kicks too. It woke up from the pain and tripped in its way to get up.

"It's blinded! Now's our chance!"

The both of them attacked the monster, avoiding the attacks the Rex was giving to try to get rid of these nuisances.

'I can't believe how powerful Seifer is!' Coran thought. 'Such delightful power…'

She shook her head.

"Coran, look out! Its sight is coming back!"

She looked up at the Rex and could see from its eyes that it was seeing her. A little too clearly for comfort. But still Coran wasn't afraid! Seifer was by her side and together, she knew they could do anything!

Trying to reach over her, the Rex swung its tail hit Seifer and swung him backward. Coran saw him roll on the ground.

"Seifer!"

She wanted to reach for him, but the Rex was blocking her way.

"Get out of my way, you monster!" she frowned to it.

The Rex sniffed indifferently and turned his attention to the unconscious Seifer. Her eyes widened in horror.

"No! Leave him alone! Come back here!"

Not listening to her, it continued dangerously closer to Seifer. Coran felt her heart stop beating.

"SEIFER!!"

Then her eyes became red, her face twisted in a really evil frown and she bared her teeth.

"I said leave him alone!!" She yelled and jumped on it.

Her fists pierced the skin as she was punching more and more. Her gloves were soon covered with blood. Mortally bleeding, the Rex fell on its side. It didn't stop the furious girl. She kicked it and punched it more and more, screaming vengeful louder and louder. The king of the Training Center was long time dead but Coran was still attacking. She wanted to leave nothing of it.

"It's dead now, Coran. You can stop," Seifer's voice stopped her.

She was back to normal, standing in front of the bloody mess in disbelief, her arms down.

"What happened?" she asked Seifer once he reached her.

"I suppose it was some kind of Limit Break," he said.

She stared at what was left of the T-Rexaur, unable to believe she was the responsible. Then she turned to Seifer with concern.

"Are you alright?" she inquired quickly looking for wounds.

"Yeah. It takes more than that to hurt me. I'm ashamed I fell unconscious! It could have kill you!" he said with a sorry face wrapping his arms around her.

She smiled to him and sighed.

"What do you think about me, Instructor?"

"It's such a shame you don't want to be a SeeD! You would be so great!"

"I can still reconsider, but only if you do too."

"Let me think about it. I don't know how many times I past the exams and always failed it…"

"I'm sure you would do just fine next time."

She yawned, suddenly looking weak and tired.

"Guess you need some rest! Let's go."

They left the Training Center and Seifer escorted Coran to her room.

"Ugh! I can't see a thing!" Irvine exclaimed.

He noticed he wasn't wearing his hat and his hair was loosened on his face.

"It's because our eyes are bandaged," a voice answered.

"Sefie? 'S that you?"

"Yes."

"Are you alright? Where are we? What happened?"

"I'm okay. I don't know where we are but I think we were teleported here when we were in the Training Center."

"You're so right, SeeD!" a voice exclaimed.

Irvine tried to free himself from the ropes around his wrists, but it only made them cut deeper in his skin. He moaned.

"Zell was right! You are a girl!"

There was a silence. The girl was frowning.

"Then I was right too: SeeD are really more powerful than the others."

"Then why are you wasting your time with me?" Irvine asked. "I'm not a SeeD!"

"No, but you fought with them, so that makes you more powerful as well." A maniacal laugh came from the front of the prisoners.

"What is your purpose? Who are you?"

"You don't want to know, you'd be deceived…"

Another silence Irvine and Selphie took advantage of to try and remember the voice, trying to find if they knew it.

"Do you think I'm stupid enough to use my real voice?"

"Darn, that bitch his mind reader," Irvine said under his breath.

The jailer extended a hand and electric shocks ran over Irvine's body, making him yell from pain.

"Irvine! Stop that, you monster!"

Irvine stopped yelling, panting.

"Call me a bitch once again and you're dead! It would be a shame because you got so great energy for me!"

"Why energy? You are the one who kidnapped those Cadets and Zell," Irvine articulated hard.

"Yes, I was. It was a mistake to take those cadets."

"Why do you need energy?" Selphie asked repeating Irvine's question.

There was a silence Irvine and Selphie could almost hear their torturer smile evilly.

"To become more powerful and free myself!"

Selphie frowned.

"Free from what?"

"No more questions! I need your energy right now!" she said with an impatient voice.

"One more," Irvine asked almost funnily. "What are you?"

Another maniacal evil laugh.

"I'm a Sorceress, of course! And once I'll had the energy of all the most powerful people here, I'll take it over and those who won't obey me will die!"

"You should have killed Zell instead of letting him go, then. And once you're done with me, I suggest you kill me because I'll never bow in front of you!" Selphie said."Me neither."

The Sorceress sniffed.

"We'll see about that! Once I'm done with you, I'll take the energy from that girl that thinks she's a Sorceress! Ha! No match for me! That ex-Instructor's as well. And then I'll take Seifer and Squall! Hahaha!!!"

The Sorceress moaned from strange pain, which made Selphie and Irvine raise an eyebrow.

"No, I won't let you…"

It was the Sorceress who spoke no doubt about it but it wasn't the same voice. The voice was almost just a whisper so it made it impossible to identify. 

"Grr! Not now! Get out!" the Sorceress moaned.

Then Irvine and Selphie felt their energy being drained away.

"Guess I'll have to come back later," the Sorceress laughed evilly once again.

A strange noise was heard, telling she was gone, probably teleported.

"A…Sorceress…" Irvine started.

"Why Matron…never told us…about this?"

"Another Sorceress…" Zell said in disbelief once Squall and Rinoa got back to the infirmary. "Like if we didn't have enough problems with the ones we already had!"

"EXCUSE ME?!" Rinoa exclaimed frowning and putting her fists on her hips, bending down Zell.

He shook his hands quickly with an uncomfortable smile on his face.

"No, don't take me wrong, Rinoa! I was talking about Edea when she was possessed, Adel and Ultimecia. You are a wonderfully good Sorceress! Please, don't kill me!"

He hid under his sheets, making Squall laugh and Rinoa smoke from anger. Then she had an evil smile and extended a hand to the bed. Crabs appeared and pinched Zell under the sheets.

"Ow! Yeouch! Ouch! Get them off me!"

The crabs vanished in a gesture from Rinoa. Zell carefully took a peek from under the sheets and saw Rinoa's face an inch from his, startling him.

"Don't you have something to say, Zell?"

"Hum… sorry?"

She nodded.

"I'll say it's okay."

Seifer entered at that moment. Squall looked at him with a frown.

"Where's Coran?"

"Sleeping," Seifer answered simply unable to sustain Squall's glance.

"Where have you two been? I was worried!"

Seifer then looked up and frowned.

"For your sister? Were you worried because she was with me?"

Squall took Seifer's arm and led him out of the office. Then he turned to him, pointing a finger on him.

"What are you trying to prove, Seifer? You can't bear anyone but you go out with my sister? At least do you love her or is this just a way to make me mad?"

Seifer looked at him in shock.

"What are you saying?! I would never use her to reach you! I would give my life for her!"

"You're not answering my question! I would give my life for her as well because I love her too, but I want to know if you feel for her the same way I feel for Rinoa, the same way Irvine feels for Selphie! Do you love her?"

Seifer kept his head down. He was unable to say it in front of Squall. His doings to his old rival were still fresh in his mind and he was still reluctant of acting friendly to him.

Squall took Seifer's silence for a no.

"At least if you don't, be a man and tell her. I don't want to see her hurt because of you." He faced him his back. "You already hurt too much people…"

He was about to get back in the infirmary when a hand grabbed his arm. He turned around. Seifer was holding his arm, his head still down and his eyes closed. He was biting his lip. Squall knew he wanted to say something so he just waited for him to speak. Not releasing his grip from Squall's forearm, Seifer slowly looked up. There was something in his eyes Squall never saw before: sadness.

"Don't you know those words are hard for me?" Seifer asked in a whisper. "Do you think I don't know what I've done? Everybody constantly reminds me of that. It's already hard for me to try and forget it without everyone always reminding me! It's like if they all want to be sure I'll never forget! I know I never will, at least I want to try not to think about it."

Seifer clenched Squall's arm in some kind of need for comfort.

"Nobody will forgive me for what I've done. I only got Raijin and Fujin for friends. And Coran… she's the only one to know what I've done and she still came to me, the only one to think there was something good in me. She helped me take it out."

Squall felt guilty of ever doubting Seifer's feelings towards his sister. Even more when he saw a tear shine in Seifer's eye that he quickly wiped away. Then he released his grip from Squall's arm. The SeeD put his hands on Seifer's shoulders.

"Now I know you are serious. You would never have cried in front of anybody me even less if you were not really hurt by my words. I'm sorry Seifer."

Seifer stared at Squall in disbelief. He was expecting apologies from him.

"Don't be. I'm the one who should apologize to you, to Rinoa, to Zell, to everyone in Garden."

"I don't ask you that much. Just promise me something."

Seifer looked at him hesitating a few seconds then nodded.

"Anything."

"Love my sister, take care of her."

Seifer smiled.

"You didn't even had to tell me."

They shook hands, the other friendly clenching each other's arm.

"Now I got to tell you that your sister should be a SeeD. She's a fast learner."

He told about the fight with the T-Rexaur.

"It was a stupid risk! She could have been killed! Just when I was starting to trust you."

"Hey, I was with her!"

"That's what I'm worried about."

They laughed together like old friends who haven't seen each other for a long time.

The day ended slowly. The gang was pretty smaller at the Cafeteria. Zell still resting in the infirmary, Irvine and Selphie missing… Rinoa decided to stay until it would all be over in case she could be of any help. Seifer had an arm around Coran as usual and Quistis was trying to force Squall to eat something despite he said he wasn't hungry.

"You have to eat! If you become too weak you will be a tasty prey for that Sorceress!"

"I don't think so," Seifer cut in. "If she is looking for energy, he will be too weak for her."

Quistis frowned at Seifer for giving the others bad ideas. Starving themselves wasn't a good idea at all.

"What if she'll just pass?" Rinoa suggested. "She just wants energy then she'll left."

"We wouldn't be so lucky," Squall objected getting up to get something to eat.

Rinoa smiled in relief before turning to the others.

"What I don't understand is whom this Sorceress got her powers from. I got mine from Edea, she received Ultimecia's and I received Adel's too."

"What I say is there is no other Sorceress," Seifer said. "All this is a little trick to make us crazy."

"You're…wrong…" a weak voice said at the entrance of the Cafeteria.

Everyone turned to the entrance to see a tripping Irvine carrying an unconscious Selphie enter the place. They all got up so fast their chair fell backward and hit the floor. Squall was the first one close to Irvine. He took Selphie from his weak arms and past her to Seifer when he asked him to do so. Irvine fell in Squall's arms who knelt to rest him on the ground.

"There…there is another…" Irvine said barely audible.

"We know," Squall told him.

"But…she got something…like she can't control herself…totally…"

"Do you know who she is?" Quistis asked him.

"No…never heard. She didn't brainwash us. She thought it wasn't…necessary…"

"It's okay now," Squall comforted.

Irvine smiled.

"She is after you all too, she mentioned Rinoa, Quistis, Seifer and you."

"She knows us?"

"I suppose… she plans to take over Garden…"

Squall turned to Rinoa.

"Rinoa, can you cast Curaga on him? He needs rest but we need the freshest news possible. I don't want to take the risk to see him forget everything."

Rinoa nodded and obeyed. A blue light engulfed her and was spread on Irvine. It didn't have any effect.

"Why didn't it work?" Squall exclaimed.

"She is more powerful than Rinoa… I'll try to tell you what I know now… We were teleported from the Training Center to that place. I don't know where it was; my eyes were bandaged… We were tied up right away by an invisible force… It took a while before she came. She spoke to us, saying she was disguising her real voice…"

"It must be because we know her!" Rinoa exclaimed.

"I don't know…" Irvine said getting weaker. 

Squall looked up to his friends to find Quistis missing.

"Where is Quistis?" 

"She went to get Kadowaki before you ask her to," Seifer answered.

Squall went back to Irvine.

"She said she needed energy to be more powerful and to get free…"

"Free?" they all exclaimed.

"From what?" Squall asked.

Irvine weakly shook his head.

"She didn't want to tell… Then, she moaned in pain…"

Squall paid great attention.

"Another voice spoke but it was coming from the same person, I'm sure of it… It said: I won't let you…"

He took a deep breath.

"It spoke after the Sorceress said she would get you all… Then she said: no, get out…"

"She is possessed?" Rinoa asked.

"Not sure, but I think so…"

"You just rest, now."

He looked around.

"What is taking Quistis so long?"

"Let's not wait for her," Seifer said. "Let's go."

Seifer placed Selphie on Coran's back while he took Irvine's arm around his neck, Squall holding the other one. They went to the Infirmary. Squall thought they would meet Quistis with the doctor on their way but they didn't. Rinoa preceded them in to warn Kadowaki. She prepared the beds the Cadets left the morning for the two others. Once they were in bed, Squall quickly scanned the office.

"I thought Quistis went here to get you?"

Kadowaki looked at him raising an eyebrow.

"No. Was she supposed to?"

Squall then looked at the others with a grave face.

"She got Quistis too…"

Coran suddenly fainted from exhaustion in Seifer's arms.


	11. Seifer Knows Something

Chapter 10: Seifer Knows Something ****

Chapter 10: Seifer Knows Something

Seifer took Coran to her room where she rested for a whole day. She was full healthy again when Quistis was found near the Training Center the next day, all drained up from her energy, on the verge of death just like the others. Once she was able to speak, she told nothing the ones who weren't drain didn't already know. She says the mysterious Sorceress mentioned Squall, Seifer and Rinoa as well. Squall was afraid for his beloved, but glad the Sorceress wasn't after his sister. Maybe it was a good thing she didn't want to become a SeeD after all. Then he didn't know she was reconsidering it.

But then, even with all the cautions Squall made, Rinoa disappeared too. He didn't want to wait patiently for the kidnapping Sorceress to gently get her back, no way! Since almost all of them were found near the Training Center after their disappearance, Squall guessed that maybe it was the Sorceress's hideout. Then he ran there, his gunblade in a hand, Coran and Seifer following close behind, ready to give him all the support he could need even when he told them he could do that alone.

"There's no way I'm letting you do this alone!" Seifer objected.

"Me neither!" Coran added.

Squall was in fact pretty relieved he wasn't to face the Sorceress by himself. Scared from all the disappearances and from the warning of the Headmaster, not a student risked himself in the Training Center recently. Good riddance! Nobody who would stand in their way, nobody they would be forced to protect! Squall was still curious why the most powerful students of the Garden were all from his gang according to the Sorceress? Was it just a coincidence or it was because she knew them?

They ran through the Training Center. They didn't even meet a monster. To think they were scared too… or that the Sorceress eliminated them. That thought brought Squall back to the day they found that burned up T-Rexaur. Maybe it was from the Sorceress after all.

The SeeD leader was very worried. He was afraid the Sorceress would find in Rinoa some kind of menace and kill her after draining her powers what would make her even more powerful! He shook his head. What was important now was to find Rinoa.

"Rinoa!" he called. "Are you here?"

Then he stopped instinctively.

"What?" Coran asked getting in fighting position.

Squall signalled her to keep silent as he scanned around, narrowing his eyes. Coran and Seifer mimicked him but they didn't saw anything.

"I sense something… It's like a warning bell in all my heart and soul…"

"Maybe…maybe Rinoa's trying to contact you," Coran supposed.

Both Squall and Seifer looked at her in amazement.

"Of course!" Seifer exclaimed. "She can read you mind so why not communicate with you telepathically!"

"What should I do?"

"Focus on that signal, concentrate," Coran encouraged.

Squall nodded and closed his eyes, focusing. He thought about Rinoa, trying to see her face in his cleared mind. Then he heard a voice, fade, with a fade figure. He tried to focus on it, making it clear. Then the mumbling became words.

'Squall… I found you,' it said.

Squall could now clearly see the scared face of Rinoa. He wanted to answer her but wasn't sure how to do that. He wasn't telepathic… Then he remembered when they went to get Coran at the D-District prison. They spoke the same way. He just had to think, Rinoa could hear.

'Rinoa! I'm so glad! Are you alright?'

'My energy is leaving me. But the Sorceress is younger than I thought, about my age.'

'Really? How do you know?'

'She blocked her mind from me when I was scanning her. I didn't have the time to find anything helpful.'

'Has she hurt you? Threat you?'

'No, she just said I was a very worthless Sorceress.'

'I would like to have her in front of me! Do you know where you are?'

'I'm not sure. I think it's somewhere up the Training Center.'

'Up? You mean above us?'

'Hidden in the roof, I think. I can't see anything but I don't need eyes to see. Like now, I can see you.'

'Can you teleport us?'

'I don't have much strength left, I won't be able to take you three, only one of you.'

'Then take me. Is she there?'

'No. She teleported me here then came later to have my energy drained up, then she left again. I don't know why she does that.'

'Whatever! Just get me there!'

He opened his eyes and looked at Seifer and Coran who were looking pretty curious.

"Stay together, I'll go to where Rinoa is."

"What do you mean?" Coran asked in sisterly concern before Squall vanished in a strange noise. 

She reached over her mouth in fear.

"He was teleported! No! She got him too!"

"No," Seifer objected. "He said he was going to where Rinoa is, maybe she teleported him. She's a Sorceress too after all."

"Then why she didn't got us all there?"

"It's been a while since she's gone, maybe she already had lot of energy drained up," Seifer supposed. 

"I just hope that Sorceress isn't there with them…"

Squall found himself in a dark place. He narrowed his eyes and tried to pierce the darkness. Then he heard a moan from the front of him. He widened his eyes as they saw a suspended figure in mid air.

"Rinoa!" he yelled running to the figure.

She lifted her head, looking incredibly weak. Squall jumped and cut the two ropes in a single shot of his gunblade and caught Rinoa in his arms. Her limp body in the nook of his arm made him worry.

"Rinoa, are you alright?"

She looked at him.

"I did it…I teleported you."

"But at what price! You're exhausted!"

"Nevermind… Now take a look through the floor."

Curious, Squall tried to see what she was talking about. Then he saw Coran and Seifer through a few small holes in the floor.

"You were right!" he exclaimed. "We are above the Training Center!"

"She was bringing all her victims are all the time."

"Let's leave now."

He placed her on his back and took his gunblade with two hands. He jumped and, with a yell, pointed it down. It pierced the floor and they both fell down to the Training Center.

Seifer and Coran looked up as they heard the scream and saw the roof shattered and Squall and Rinoa coming down from it. Seifer jumped to slow their fall and make the landing less painful. The three of them landed without any problem. Squall got Rinoa down his back.

"Let me try," Coran said putting a hand on his shoulder when he was about to cast Curaga on her.

He nodded. Then Coran was engulfed with a blue light and it past on Rinoa, giving her back all her strength. When Rinoa stood up, Coran stared at her hands in amazement.

"Wow…Incredible!"

"Never used it before?" Squall asked with a smile.

"It's not that…"

Rinoa was perplexed.

"It didn't work when I cast Curaga on Irvine, but it worked when Coran used it on me…"

"Hey, you're right!" Coran exclaimed non-understanding.

"Maybe because another Sorceress's magic doesn't work to heal Sorceress's doings," Seifer suggested.

"Maybe. I still don't know much about Sorceresses even if I'm one myself."

Seifer looked thoughtful but Squall spoke and got him out of his mind.

"Is it just me or those events started to occur not much time after Coran came?"

Coran blushed in a guilty way.

"Because of me?"

"It's not what I mean. It can be just a coincidence or…"

"Or somebody is after you and is using the Garden as a cover to reach you!" Rinoa completed.

"It's a possibility," Squall said.

Coran remained silent while Seifer quickly glanced at her.

"Anyway, let's get out of here," he said. "I don't want to be here when she comes back and see her captive is gone and a hole on the floor!"

They all nodded and left the place.

Once out, Rinoa wrapped her arms around Squall's neck, relieved and he wrapped his arms around her waist. Seeing that, Seifer had a smile and pulled Coran close to him.

"You alright?" Squall asked once again.

"Yes, thanks to you."

They smiled to each other in relief and kissed. Coran was looking at them with envy but Seifer caught her chin and gently turned her face to him. He smiled and kissed her too. The couples were pretty similar for the heights: Squall with Rinoa was almost the same thing that Coran with Seifer except Coran and Squall were the same height.

"I think I should go before something else happen," Rinoa said sadly.

"I think it would be better. I don't want to take the risk of seeing you disappear once again. I'll take you home."

He turned to his sister and waited for her to release her grip from Seifer.

"Coran, with all those events I forgot to tell you my…our father would be pleased to meet you. He said he'll pay us a visit once he'll got the time."

"Really? That would be great! He got lot of work as the President of Esthar, huh?"

"Yeah…"

He headed for the Parking Lot with Rinoa.

"See ya later," Squall said.

"See ya some other time, Coran! Bye, Seifer!"

"I would love to!" Coran answered.

Seifer and her waved to them until they disappeared in the Parking Lot. Then Coran turned to Seifer with a concerned face.

"Now I'm scared. The Sorceress had all the others, there's only Squall and you left."

He wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Don't worry. She didn't kill anybody, she just wants energy."

"But still, you be very careful, okay?"

There was fear along with concern on her face. Seifer tried to see through her eyes what she was so afraid of but her eyes were too deep.

"Ok. I'll be careful."

She smiled but the fear was still there. She hugged him really tight like she was afraid she would never do that again.

"I got work to do. Those past days, I left everything up to Raijin and Fujin, but it's not fair for them. They are doing my job. Even if they said they don't mind, they got their own work to do too."

"You should go, then. Think I'll read some books about SeeDs."

"You want to become one, don't you?"

"Yes, but as I said, only if you do to."

He smiled to her and left, waving to her. Then she headed for the library to get the books before going back to her room to have a calm reading session.

Squall was pretty tired when he got back to Garden. He knew he had work to do too, but would much rather enjoy a rest than doing homework. With a sigh, he headed for the dormitory. He was glad nobody was missing anymore…for now. According to all those who were kidnapped, Seifer and him were the next on the Sorceress's list. That was not to make him feel comfortable, but he thought she could come and get him, he would take advantage of this to defeat her…would he be strong enough? Anyway he hoped she wouldn't go after his sister. Maybe Coran was not weak as some students, but she still was no match for the Sorceress. He wondered what would happen of Seifer if he was the next to be caught. Would he be under her control like he was before? Would he become her Knight? Squall shook his head. Now the only girl Seifer would be Knight of was Coran…if she was a Sorceress that is. He was just her boyfriend.

Squall arrived to the dorms and headed straight to his room. He looked at the scattered paper on his desk and sighed, putting a hand on his hip and looking away. Strands of his brown hair fell on his face. He moved them backward, annoyed.

"Whatever…" he headed for his bed and lay on it, his hands under his head.

Feeling well, he closed his eyes, wondering if he would fall asleep and if the Sorceress would take advantage of his slumber to take him.

A fade noise came from the door, but Squall, about to fall asleep, didn't hear anything. The door opened slowly and closed back after a few seconds. Then Squall heard and sat straight in his bed, looking to the door. A guilty Seifer was looking at him, a sorry look on his face.

"Sorry, I didn't want to wake you up."

Squall smiled and got up.

"Nah, I wasn't asleep. But if I was, what would you have done?"

"Probably wake you up."

Squall stared at his face and saw concern all over.

"That must be pretty important if you came to my room in attempt to wake me up if I was asleep," he said jokingly.

Seifer wasn't in the mood for jokes.

"There is something important."

"Excuse me. What is it?"

"It's about…your sister."

"Coran? Something happened to her?" he asked terrified of the idea that she could have been kidnapped after all.

Seifer shook his head, keeping it down.

"No, she's fine."

He looked back at Squall, looking grave.

"I think she hid things from you, Squall."

"What do you mean?"

"She told you how she grew up and lived by herself since twelve, huh?"

Squall nodded, without understanding.

"I'm sure she didn't tell you _everything _about her life. You should ask her."

"What makes you think that?"

Seifer turned to the door to leave.

"Trust me and ask her. I can't tell you anything because I don't have real proofs but… ask her yourself."

He left and Squall sat back on his bed, totally confused. Why would Coran have lied to him? Why would she hide things from him? Was she afraid he would be shocked? Just thinking there were things she didn't tell him was shocking him. They were brother and sister, he didn't hide anything of his life from her, why would she? They didn't know each other for a long time, but still…

Squall was disturbed from his thoughts as he heard voices coming from outside, probably from the corridor. His closed door stopped him from hearing what was said or who was talking but he thought he recognizes Seifer's voice. He couldn't clearly hear the other or tell if it was a girl's or a guy's, it was too fade. He lay back on his bed thinking it wasn't his business when an agony scream exploded. He sat up faster than he ever did when he identified the voice screaming.

"Seifer!"

He jumped down his bed and ran to the door, opening it so fast he almost banged it on his face. Not caring, he ran in the corridor and saw Seifer lying there, unconscious. He quickly looked around for the responsible as the concern turned into fear. Nobody, nowhere. 

He slipped on the floor and landed on his side beside Seifer. He was lying on his face. Squall stood on his knees and turned Seifer on his back, an arm under his neck.

"Seifer! What happened?"

He quickly looked around again for help but there was nobody. He looked back on his friend to see what could have happened to him. He wasn't drained from his energy like Squall first supposed he would be. He looked like he was attacked by a strong power. He was very pale and Squall could see he had hard time breathing. He was dying…

"What happened to make you like that so fast?"

"Squall?" a voice asked behind him.

He quickly looked back and saw a weak looking Selphie.

"Selphie! What are you doing here?"

"I was told I could leave the infirmary and I came to rest while you were gone. I heard the scream, what happened?"

Then she appeared to notice Seifer for the first time. Her eyes widened.

"Are you in good shape enough to run to the infirmary? I'm afraid he's too weak for me too carry him there."

"Even if I wasn't, I would still do it!"

She ran out of the corridor. Squall put his worried gaze back on Seifer.

"What do you know that we don't, Seifer? Was it because of that you were attacked like that?"

Seifer didn't answer all those questions.

Kadowaki slowly walked out of the room Seifer was in. Squall looked at her, waiting. She sadly shook her head.

"The attack he received was strong enough to kill him, but it's like if somehow, the attack was weakened. He's in a deep coma. I…I don't think he'll ever come out of it…"

"No…" Selphie whispered beside Squall reaching over her mouth.

She turned to Squall. He was keeping his head down with his eyes shut tight. He was half baring his teeth like he was in rage. He was hard clenching his fists alongside him.

"Are you gonna tell Coran?" Selphie asked with a low soft voice, thinking how the girl would take it.

"Coran…" Squall murmured with some kind of hatred. 

Selphie raised an eyebrow, but before she could ask what was making him so mad, he ran out of the infirmary.

Squall ran back to the dorms, anger on his face. He ran to his sister's room and wide opened the door, making it bang hardly on the wall. Coran was on her bed, reading a book. She quickly sat up, startled and calmed down a little when she saw it was Squall. He stood at the door, an angry frown on his face which made Coran a little more scared.

"What didn't you tell me?" Squall asked through his shut teeth. "What are you hiding from me about your childhood?"

She looked away, unable to sustain his gaze. Then Squall knew Seifer was right. She DID hid something from him. If she didn't, she would have look amazed, asking what he was talking about, saying she never hid anything from him, but she didn't, confirming Squall's doubts.

"What is it?" he asked again softening his voice a bit when he noticed he was scaring her.

She still avoided his gaze and kept silent.

"You don't want to tell? I'll make you tell!"

He ran to her and grabbed her forearm roughly. He pulled her out of the room.

"You're hurting me!" she told him.

Squall wasn't listening. He was burning of deception from his sister's betrayal. Because he took her secret for a betrayal. He was angry for that, feeling the fire burning inside him run through his veins.

He ran to the infirmary, pulling Coran along. There, he went to another room and made her look through a window in the next room. Like when he was in the infirmary after the fight against Seifer and that Ellone was looking at him through that window.

Squall pressed his sister against the window, still gripping on her arm. 

"Look! Look what happened because of your silence!!"

He was looking at her face while she was staring at the window. There were tears in her eyes from how Squall acted towards her, and then Squall realized he was rough. He released his grip and kept looking at her. Her eyes widened in horror and disbelief as she reached her mouth to bury a sob. She put her hands on the window, each side of her face. She leant her forehead on the cool glass.

"No…no…Seifer, no…"

Squall crossed his arms on his chest, frowning angrily.

"He was drained too?" she whispered with some hope.

"I wish he would have been," Squall answered.

She looked at him, tears running down her cheeks as if she already knew.

"The doctor said he might…never wake up…" Squall said coldly.

She looked back at Seifer, staring at his beautiful, wondering if she would ever see his blue eyes down her anymore.

"When did it happen?" she asked in a whisper.

"Just a moment ago. He was coming out of my room to tell me something when I heard him scream."

"Impossible! I saw him just a moment ago coming out of your room and he told me you were not there!"

"Why would he have said that?" Squall yelled.

She quickly looked away, scared but understanding his anger. She didn't want to tell him, especially when he told her the original purpose of SeeD. But she thought it might help her to overcome her problem that's why she wanted to reconsider the offer. And she wanted Seifer to be by her side so that she could get rid of any monster, nothing would scare her.

"To protect you…" she said under her breath.

Then all anger and hate vanished from Squall's face and voice as he looked at her.

"Protect me? From what?"

She slowly looked up at him, freely crying silently.

"From me…" she said hoarsely.


	12. The Sorceress Revealed

Chapter 11: The Sorceress Revealed ****

Chapter 11: The Sorceress Revealed

Squall closed the door to Coran's room behind him once they were there. She walked straight to the window and stared outside, her hands on the windowsill. She looked away, daydreaming. Squall leant against the door, waiting for Coran to speak. He moved a little to see her face. There was remorse in her eyes and tears still running down her face. He was quite impatient for her to speak but decided he could wait a little longer. What have she done that was so terrible Seifer would protect him from her?

She managed to get her eyes away from the window and slowly turned to Squall.

"I…I'm a Sorceress…"

Squall startled, hoping it wasn't what he was thinking about.

"I'm THE Sorceress," she continued, keeping her head down not to meet Squall's gaze on her.

Squall remained silent, feeling some burden leave his heart like if he was the one who said that. They were truly twins if they could sense each other's pain and other feelings.

"Why did you do that?" he asked non-understanding.

"It wasn't me."

Squall raised an eyebrow, getting confuse.

"It was the Sorceress's doings, and you just said me you're the Sorceress then how come it wasn't you?"

"I didn't want to do it, I would never hurt any of you!"

She buried her face in her hands.

"Tell me all from the beginning, then. What about your childhood you didn't already tell me, how you became the Sorceress… I know a Sorceress receives the powers of another one who's dying. How did you receive yours?"

"From Adel."

Squall stared at Coran in surprise.

"But…it can't be! Rinoa received her powers when she died!"

"That's what people thinks…"

"Plus, a Sorceress gives her powers when she's dying and we killed Adel just about few months ago!"

She shook her head.

"It's a long story…"

[Coran is telling the story from her point of view, her eyes closed]

It happened during the Sorceress's war, when Adel was sending soldiers all around the world to get little girls that could be possible successors…

*You were not even born! * Squall objected.

*Would you let me tell before I change my mind? It's hard enough to tell you don't have to interrupt me! *

*I'm sorry…*

Adel sent soldiers for a few years before somebody stopped her. Now I know it was my father…

I was already in the orphanage, always told never get out of the house or else, they would get me too. I was about four then, but already smarter than a lot of kids. I could easily walk by myself, talk properly and I was never ashamed of saying what I was thinking about. I was able to understand things that an ordinary child wouldn't. I was told my mother was dead, that's why I was in that orphanage. I knew I had a father and a brother, but nobody had a clue where they were…what I was told. As a hopeful little girl, I was always thinking Matron was lying to me so that kind people would adopt me and I wouldn't say a thing, but it didn't work. One day, I disobeyed and got out right at the forbidden time, the time the soldiers were usually searching for stupid careless girls. They found me that day and took me to Adel. I think I was the youngest but from all the girls there, only two were not crying from fear Adel was inspiring us: me and a little brunette about nine or ten years old. Adel stared at each of us. The other girls were crying even more to see her evil gaze on them. She stared at me for a little longer than the others. I was frowning at her, not afraid at all. She granted me an evil grin and asked the soldiers to take everyone out of the throne room except for the brunette and me.

*Ellone… so that's where she was when I thought she abandoned me…*

She was looking at each of us, one after the other, hesitating. That Ellone had a mysterious power Adel thought could be useful, but I had something else… She finally made her choice and asked the soldiers to take her to Odine's lab, saying he would be pleased to examine her. She was taken away, and then she cried, calling for 'Uncle Laguna'. Then she turned back at me and kneeled before me. I sustained her gaze in an attempt to tell her she wasn't scaring me. She had an evil smile.

"Do you want to know why I chose you instead of her?"

I didn't answer, defying her.

"She has a power, but what I see in your mind would be much more useful!"

Then I raised an eyebrow.

"My mind?"

"Let me show you," she said evilly before glancing right into my eyes.

Then I felt light-headed. I didn't know then, but from the mind reading Rinoa did I know she did the same thing. She was messing with my thoughts, viewing all my memories. I don't know how, but I managed to kick her out and grant her the maddest face a four years could have. She laughed, staring at me in amazement.

"How right I was!! You got that little something just perfect!"

I didn't understand what she was talking about. Then she spread her arms away from her and she was engulfed with a red evil light. Then I turned scared when I saw the light gather into a ball of powerful energy. It floated above her head then hit me. I still can remember how painful it was. It was much too fast!! I could feel it gather in a deep part of my mind, a part I was keeping hidden from myself. When the pain stopped, I wasn't feeling any different. I looked up at her, raising an eyebrow in wonder. She kneeled down my height and whispered in my ear. That was a thing I didn't understand then, but now I know what she meant.

"You are a very sad girl, lonely, abandoned. All the power I gave you is just a part of my incredible strength. Your hate will feed it and when the time comes, you will return to receive the rest of it."

Then she stood up and called for soldiers to take me back to where I belonged. 

[Coran opens her eyes and look at an amazed and sceptical Squall]

"I grew up slowly, hating my lost family a little more every day for not coming get me back with them. One day, I was ten, a monster entered the orphanage. He was about to attack the other kids, much younger than I was. I was never adopted because I was acting bad every time people were coming, looking for a little girl to give a home to."

'Sounds like me…' Squall thought.

"The kids were crying and yelling from fear. The Matron was out for food, so we were all by ourselves. I stood between the kids and the monster and threatened it with a wooden stick. I wasn't afraid, glad I had a chance to prove I was worthy of something. It jumped on me and I was thinking I was gonna die when I felt a strong warmth in all my body. I grinned at the monster and held out my hand on it from instinct. Then a ball of fire formed in my hand and pierced the monster. Just when it was pierced, Matron came back. The kids were all cheering me and I was laughing with them happily. Matron never spoke of this incident, in fact relieved I had those powers wherever they were coming from so that she wasn't afraid of leaving us alone anymore. I was there to protect them."

Coran looked down the floor, the smile she had from those happy times vanished.

"You didn't left for your own purpose, didn't you?" Squall asked.

She slowly shook her head.

"No, it was leave or being killed."

Squall was about to ask something but she continued, cutting him.

"I grew up, going out frequently to kill monsters using that power Adel 'gave' me. Matron was some times watching me, and she grew nervous by the days. One day, she found me draining the energy from one of the kids. She said I had red eyes…"

Coran shook her head.

"I don't know why I did that… But seeing I was becoming a threat, Matron soon had to protect me from the neighbours who wanted to see the Sorceress I was dying before I had the chance to kill someone. She didn't want to see me dead, I saved her and all the other kids few times so she said I should leave. Then I was twelve. She said I was powerful enough to survive out there by myself. So I left, knowing it was for my own good. Soon I was cursing those powers because it was their fault! I was happy at the orphanage even if I wasn't showing it. At first, I did used my powers to defend myself from the monsters around, turning more and more into the Sorceress Adel wanted me to become."

She paused.

"One night, her words came back in my mind and I understood their meaning: she junctionned her powers to the secret hate I had for my father and brother who I always thought abandoned me. That hate and the anger for what the neighbours said about me only fed those powers, making me a Sorceress. When I realised it, I knew I would be a bad one thirsty for power. Then I decided I would not allow the Sorceress in me to show up, I buried her deep inside and decided to look for my family by myself, hoping it would kill the Sorceress if I wasn't feeding her hatred and anger anymore…How wrong I was… She remained hidden of course and I learned to take care of myself only using my fists. I soon forgot about her and about Adel too… Until I found myself back in Esthar a few months ago. I don't know why but I followed a voice calling deep inside my soul and ended up in the Lunatic Pandora. I had the time to see a blond guy fighting three persons and he lost to them. That was Seifer, that's why I had the feeling I met him before when you introduced him to me…I kept following the voice and I saw Adel getting free from her prison and catch a black haired girl. Three persons attacked her but I was only looking at the one with the legendary gunblade. I was like a zombie, hiding, waiting for something I didn't know about. In my confused mind, I thought it was my brother there, just before he finished Adel and freed the girl. I saw Adel look my way with an evil grin and then I sensed even more power joining the ones I already had. I screamed with all my heart that I didn't want those powers but not a sound came out of my mouth. I fainted and when I woke up, there was nothing left. I don't know how long I was unconscious so I thought I dreamt all that, that Adel didn't give me the rest of her powers."

She looked down the floor once again. Squall didn't interrupt, willing to know the rest.

"Then it's like if the Sorceress in me started to act without my approbation. I was using my powers without even knowing it! It's like too persons trapped in the same body!"

"Some kind of possession?"

Coran quickly shook her head.

"No, I wasn't possessed! It's just that all the bad in me gathered together with my hidden powers and I became evil. Like two personalities. When I was too calm, it was taking me over, draining energy from people to be even more powerful! I was forced to move constantly because I didn't want people to get hurt because of me. I ended up in Deling where I was asking for jobs. I managed to keep the Sorceress away for that time, feeding myself to become more powerful than her. The rest, you know it: I lost my job and stole food not to get weaker and let the Sorceress in me take me over. I was arrested and you found me. Then I forgot about her once again, totally."

"How in the world could you forget about it?"

"I guess I subconsciously used my powers to do so. It all started again when I was to meet Seifer at the Secret Area. I met a T-Rexaur on the way."

"So it was your doings…"

She slowly nodded.

"But the next morning, I totally forgot as I woke up in Seifer's arms. Then I started to hear about students being kidnapped, all the time by Seifer's side so I didn't remember about who I really was. But through the more disappearances, it slowly started to come back, but I didn't want to accept it, accept that it was my fault. So it started acting by itself once again, gathering energy to overtake me. That's why I fainted in the infirmary that day. I was using my powers to teleport people to the Training Center and when I had the chance, I was teleporting myself under the form of the Sorceress to take their energy. I know I few times while I was in my room, I could feel it. I managed to overtake her when I was draining from Irvine and Selphie. The Sorceress wanted Seifer's energy and yours, but that thought awaken me. I didn't want to do that, not a chance!"

"And what happened to Seifer…"

"That…" she felt like crying again.

[Flashback]

Coran was walking to Squall's room, feeling a little weird. She saw Seifer coming out of her brother's room and her face lightened.

"Have you seen Squall?" she asked with a strange voice.

Seifer stared at her, trying to convince himself he was wrong, he never saw her toast that T-Rexaur before their meeting at the Secret Area and that the attack she used when he was training with her was really a limit break, but he couldn't. He was now seeing on her face the same look there was when she toasted the T-Rexaur and when she attacked wildly the other one.

"No," he managed to lie convincingly. "He's not there."

She narrowed her eyes.

"Coran, you gotta overcome yourself! Such power… I know who you are and I don't like it. I would be your Knight if you ask me to, but not of an evil Sorceress, not anymore."

"So you saw me?" she asked with an evil grin.

"Yes. Please, you gotta control it! I know you can!"

"I won't do anything! I was ready to give you a chance, Seifer, but if you're not with me, you're against me…"

She held out a hand. Seifer moved a step backward, sad but somehow understanding. Powerful electric shocks came out of her hand and flew to Seifer. In the same time, Coran's eyes changed and she looked at Seifer with horror.

'NOOOO!!' she yelled in her own mind.

Seifer screamed in great agony and fell on the floor. The Sorceress overtook her again and she ran back to her room, leaving just flashes of what happened in the girl's mind.

[End of Flashback]

"I didn't know I did it, I thought I just dreamt, thinking I would never hurt Seifer until you took me to the infirmary. Then I knew I did it and that the Sorceress in me was too strong for me to stop her."

Squall reached her and took her by her shoulders.

"No! It was because of you if Seifer wasn't killed! You managed to make the blow less powerful! He was right: you have to overcome yourself. That Sorceress is you and you are the Sorceress. You just have to let her out and control her, let her be all yourself, not just your hatred and anger."

"I don't know how!"

"You'll find a way, I'm sure of it. Seifer knew you could and so do I."

She smiled and looked down a second. Then Squall felt her trembling.

"R…run," she said.

Squall frowned and tried to see her face.

"What?"

She quickly looked up. Her eyes were turning red.

"I said RUN!! Kyaaaahh!!"

She threw her head backward and spread her arms each side of her. Squall moved backward a little.

"Don't fight her! Let her fill you totally so that the goodness in you can balance the evil!"

"AAAAHHH!"

Squall put an arm in front of his face when he sensed great power coming from his sister. He couldn't believe it.

'Is she that powerful?'

Then he wasn't surprise if she couldn't control herself. The training she had with Seifer made her a little more powerful but it was really no match.

Coran stopped yelling and slowly put her arms and head down, eyes closed. When she opened them, they were an evil red. Her face was twisted in an evil grin and she was baring her teeth. Squall shivered. It wasn't his sister anymore: it was an evil Sorceress. She couldn't control herself in front of Squall, then she was lost forever.

"You're the last one, SeeD!"

Squall startled. What a deep and evil voice! Even Ultimecia's wasn't sounding so evil. She grimaced when she pronounced the word.

"I should better call you Squall, don't you think? Brother…"

She had an evil smile.

"Why don't you try and run away? Or fight me, maybe! Sorceresses killer!"

She lost her smile and Squall was afraid. He knew he couldn't fight her, but she wouldn't hesitate to do so. She wanted his energy, but as long as he would resist, Coran could still have a chance not to lose herself to evil. He hated that but he didn't have the choice. He reached for the door but it locked when he tried to open it. He quickly turned around and leant against the door as he looked at Coran, terrified. She had a hand held out his way. She was the one who locked the door. She slowly, in an almost hypnotizing way, shook a finger in front of her face.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, not fast enough, brother. You got to do better than that."

"Coran," Squall tried to reach her. "You got to stop that! You don't have to be bad, you can be good!"

She frowned in anger.

"Good? GOOD?? Nobody was good for me before! I tried to use my powers to help others but how did they thank me? They wanted to kill me!!"

"Because you did bad things, you drained that kid's energy."

"Yes, I did. I needed to be more powerful, more than Adel! She expected me to do what she couldn't afford when she gave me the last of what was remained in her. I intend to fulfil her dream!"

Squall shook his head in disbelief.

"You can't be serious?! Adel failed, Ultimecia failed, twice! You think you can do it? You would feel much better living as a good Sorceress than a bad, believe me! Rinoa and Edea are feeling well that way!"

"They are weak! I don't want to lose any of my strength by becoming all goody-goody!"

"You won't! You will feel complete, on the contrary! Now, you only use hatred and anger, but by using friendship, goodness…and love…you would be your real self!"

Coran's eyes changed for a second and Squall hoped his speech made a difference when she quickly shook her head and frowned at him.

"I can't!!!"

She held out a hand to him and he ended up his wrists tied up together and his feet were tied from the ankles. He lost his balance and fell, but Coran made him land on the bed. He managed to turn to her.

"Coran! Don't! You'll regret it for the rest of your life!"

She was looking sad, almost sorry as she was walking towards him.

"It's too late for me. I must finish what I begun."

"Seifer knew what you were and you almost killed him for that!" Squall screamed in last resource. "You almost killed your love!"

He was breathing fast, feeling his wrists painful from the ropes digging under his skin. He stared at Coran as she stopped her move.

"Seifer…"

Squall recognized her real voice but she shook her head and frowned again.

"He wanted to use me! Once I would have rule the world, he would have overthrow me!"

"You don't know what you say! He wanted to help you because he loves you!! And so do I! Don't do that to us, Coran! You can still do something! You were able to cure Rinoa even if you were the one to make her like that! Don't let Seifer die because you once hated me and our father, it's not fair!"

"Seifer is gonna die?" she asked with a little concern.

Squall nodded sadly.

"You managed to make the blow weaker, but it just didn't kill him right away. He will still die…"

She shook her head, refusing to accept it.

"You'll see if he's gonna die! I'll show you!"

She held her arm above her head and Squall could sense she was using her magic. Then he saw a figure appearing in the middle of the room. It was Seifer. He was floating in mid-air, still unconscious. 

"Look carefully!"

She stretched out her hand and cast lots of Curagas on him. It took four before he wakes up.

'Just great! Now she'll take us both!'

Seifer looked around, confused.

"What happened?" he saw Squall all tied up on the bed. "Squall! What's happening!"

"Run, Seifer! Get out of here! She can't control herself, it's hopeless!"

Seifer turned to Coran. She was smiling in a seducing way.

"My Knight…" she said in a charming, almost hypnotizing voice.

Squall looked at Seifer and saw Coran was brainwashing him.

"Seifer! Snap out of it!"

When she stopped, Squall was afraid he had one more enemy, but Seifer frowned at Coran.

"You can't fool me! You can't force me to love you the way you are because I already love you, but not like that! That you are a Sorceress? I don't mind, but not if you are evil!"

Coran appeared in shock. Seifer softened his voice and walked to her.

"Give me back the real you, the one I love… I know she's not gone. You can be a Sorceress, I don't care at all, but only if you totally are…"

He reached her and gently took her by the shoulders. Her eyes changed once again as she gazed into his blue eyes.

"Those eyes, I was afraid I would never see them again…"

"It's not the evil in you who got me back, it's the good you. You already are a little more good, so why not let yourself feel all your feelings."

"I…I…"

She shut her eyes tightly and shook her head, breaking away from Seifer's embrace.

"How can you love me after what I've done?" she turned to Squall. "How can you try to make me good while I was ready to drain all of your energy up?"

"Because we care and love you…"

She took her head in her hands and moaned.

"Get out, get out!!"

"It's starting. You're becoming a single person again: a good Sorceress, my Sorceress."

She yelled from pain.

"It doesn't work!"

She fell on her knees, panting.

"There's only a way…" she whispered.

She got up, Seifer and Squall staring at her. She stretched both her arms above her head and started glowing. Like they knew what she was up to, Squall and Seifer widened their eyes in horror.

"Don't!" Seifer yelled. "There is another way! Don't use your powers to destroy yourself!"

"Rinoa and Edea can teach you how to use them for good!" Squall told.

She looked at them with sadness.

"There is no one. I can't totally become a Sorceress so she will always switch places with me and do evil things…"

She withdrew her head backward.

"I love you, Seifer…" she whispered.

Then her powers seemed to explode but without hurting the guys. It made such a brilliant light Squall turned his head away and Seifer protected himself with an arm as it was blowing to him.

"No!!!" he yelled.

They heard a fade thud and the light faded with the wind. Seifer glanced back to where Coran was standing before and saw her lying on the ground. Her face was back to normal except it was paler. He felt his heart break apart.

"NOO!!" he fell by her side and gently put an arm under her head.

Squall was by his side.

"How'd you get free?"

"The ropes disappeared."

Seifer stroked Coran's face from the brown hair covering it. He stared at her closed eyelids, hoping they would open.

"Coran…" he whispered softly.

After a few seconds of no response, he buried his face in her neck with a cry. Then he cried in her neck like he never did before. Squall never saw him cry even still he grew up with him. Squall put a comforting hand on his friend's back –yes; Seifer was his friend, no use to deny it. They always were even through hard times. He needed comfort himself. He barely knows her but it was like they grew up together. As twins, they were sharing a special bond. He had a special bond throughout Rinoa too, but this was different. He felt like a part of his soul was gone just like when Rinoa was going to die in space. He was feeling pretty bad.

Then Seifer slowly moved away, sensing something on his ear.

"She…she's breathing…"

Squall and him stared at the girl in disbelief as she slowly managed to open her eyes. Squall could see great power and strength in those eyes, but no more evil or madness.

"I…did it…" she said in hoarsely weak voice with a smile.

Seifer hugged her tight, calling her name while Squall was retaining himself not to jump up from relief.

"You did it! I'm so glad you're ok!" he said.

"You scared me!" Seifer exclaimed looking back at her. "Don't ever do that!"

She smiled guiltily.

"How did you do that?" Squall asked.

"I focused all the power I could control, thanks to you, on the one I couldn't and called it to join the rest. I was afraid it would be too powerful and kill me, but I was ready to take the risk."

"I'm so glad!" Seifer said before hugging her again.

"Will you be my Knight?" she whispered in his ear hugging him back.

"A SeeD Knight…" he answered in the same tone.

Then they kissed and the door unlocked.


	13. Epilogue: A New Life

Epilogue: A New Life ****

Epilogue: A New Life

A few weeks later…

"Seifer Almasy and Coran Leonhart, you past the Field Exam," the Garden Faculty read on his list.

"Yeah!!" they exclaimed walking to Cid's office.

They stood straight when he was handing them their results.

"Glad you finally made it," Cid whispered to Seifer's ears.

Seifer stood straight receiving his result. He had hard time stay calm. 

"A Sorceress in SeeD…you'd never guess," he said to Coran with a smile.

She made the SeeD's salute taking her results. Then Cid stood in front of them both, his hands behind his back.

"You are very good elements for SeeD, you two. And as I know Coran needs her Knight, I'll make sure you are attending missions together."

They smiled to each other before doing the salute again.

"Thank you, sir!" they said in the same time.

"Dismissed, now."

They left the office hand in hand and took the elevator to the second floor. Once they left the bridge, they saw the whole gang waiting for them plus somebody Coran never saw but once she saw him, she knew who it was.

"Father!" she exclaimed running to him.

Laguna stared at her in amazement as he looked for confirmation towards his son. Squall standing by his side nodded with a smile. Laguna warmly opened his arms to the new SeeD, astonished by such affection from a girl he never saw and who never saw him. He pushed her away from him a while and looked carefully at her face. He couldn't believe it. It was like if it was Raine in his arms except Raine was a little shorter. Tears filled up in the President's eyes.

"What's wrong?" Coran asked with concern.

Squall put a comforting hand on his father's shoulder.

"She looks a lot like mother, huh?"

Laguna quickly wiped the tears from his face with his sleeve and nodded.

"For a moment, I thought it was her."

He smiled at her daughter, then turned to Squall.

"Do you think it's too late for me to take my responsibilities as a father?"

The twins shook their head with a smile. How they were similar but somehow different was amazing. Laguna hesitated a second before opening his arms. Coran through herself in, but Squall, reluctant as usual, stood there, wondering what to do. Laguna just lifted his free arm and this time, Squall went under it. An arm wrapped around Coran and the other just placed around Squall's shoulders, they looked like a happy little family. The others were smiling at them.

"We can call ourselves a family, now," Laguna said looking at his son and daughter with some pride.

"We always were," Squall said. "We just didn't know it."

Everyone laughed then the Loire family broke apart. Seifer wrapped an arm around Coran's waist and Squall did the same to Rinoa. Laguna looked at the two couples.

"Well, what a family! I'm president of the biggest city of the world, my son is leader of SeeD and a Sorceress's Knight and my daughter is a SeeD and a Sorceress!"

"And she has a wonderful Knight," she said looking at Seifer.

He smiled back and gently kissed her on her mouth. Then Rinoa looked at her.

"Hey, Coran! Ready for your first good Sorceress's lesson?"

"You bet!"

'Attention, SeeDs,' the intercom called.

Everyone froze, waiting.

'As more SeeDs graduated today, there will be a party tonight. I hope I can count on the Garden' Festival Committee to make it very great!'

Selphie raised a fist.

"Whoo-Hoo! You bet, this is gonna be great! Coran, you give me a hand, huh?"

"Of course!"

Then she looked back at Laguna who was starting to feel out of place.

"You're staying with us, father?"

"I don't know…"

"Come on, Laguna," Squall asked along.

When Laguna gave him a tempted look, Squall knew what could make him change his mind.

"Come on, father."

Laguna smiled and quickly nodded, raising his arms in a shrug.

"If you insist that much, guess I don't have the choice!"

Everyone cheered, and then the group headed for the elevator to go down.

'Attention again, SeeDs! I was just informed that SeeDs are needed for an important mission at Dolet. Squall, you come to my office and we'll discuss what should be done.'

Squall sighed and apologized to the others before getting back in the elevator.

"Do you think it could be our first mission?" Coran asked Seifer with shining eyes.

He shrugged.

"I hope not! We just made it and we got the party to attend! We can't already have work!"

'Hum…I hate to us this thing…' Squall's voice came out of the intercom.

The gang looked at each other and all laughed from their leader's awkwardness. They heard him clear his throat.

'It's settle: Quistis, Selphie, Zell, Irvine, Coran and Seifer, come to the Headmaster's office. We have a mission to attend.'

The voice faded and the intercom remained silent.

"We just come from there," Seifer whispered.

Coran turned to Laguna and Rinoa.

"Guess we'll have to see ya later!"

"I have to go back to Esthar and get changed," Laguna said. "I'll be back for the party."

"Me too!" Rinoa said.

"That is if the mission is not too long!" Coran said.

"How can I make it something great if I'm not there to do it?" Selphie asked sulking.

"Let's go before our leader wonders what we are doing," Seifer interrupted.

The gang splits and went different ways. The SeeDs were to split in two teams and secured Dolet from remaining monsters from the Lunar Cry.

"Sounds like that field exam we had ago," Zell commented.

"Yeah, it was damn boring!" Seifer added.

Squall frowned at them to make them silent.

"I'll lead the first team on the way to the Communication tower with Seifer and Coran while Quistis leads the other team to secure the town with Selphie, Irvine and Zell."

"Hey! We're four and you're just three!" Zell objected.

"That's because we're stronger than you, Chicken-Wuss!"

Zell clenched his fists a moment before Seifer granted him a joking smile, almost friendly. Then Zell shrugged.

"It shouldn't be long, huh?" Selphie inquired.

"That depends how powerful the monsters are," Squall answered.

"We'll take care of them, no problem…BANG!" Irvine aimed at an invisible opponent.

"You're all ready? Got GFs, magic and potions?"

The SeeDs performed the salute as an answer.

"Then let's go!"

Squall took his gunblade on his belt and Seifer put his on his shoulder. Quistis cracked her whip, Irvine loaded his gun, Selphie swung her nunchaku and Zell and Coran punched and kicked the air. Then they were out for a couple of hours.

They managed to take care of their duty much faster than expected. They came back three hours before the party. On the boat taking them back to Balamb town, they talked about the mission.

"So, Seifer! How is it to be under Squall's orders?" Zell inquired with a mocking face.

Seifer winked at Squall.

"It stinks! But I wouldn't like to have any other leader!"

"How did you go, guys?" Selphie asked the other team.

Everyone was covered with dust and their hair was a mess.

"Thanks to Coran's powers or else I wouldn't be here," Squall informed.

Then the others noticed he didn't have his jacket anymore and his grey T-shirt was slashed and red from blood.

"Yo, Squall! Your jacket!"

Squall turned to Coran who gave him a sorry look.

"I'm sorry, Squall but I didn't have the choice!"

Squall decided to explain.

"We were back attacked by a Ruby Dragon and it appeared I was the one in the back. I heard a noise and when I turned around, it deadly slashed me."

"I thought you were dead when I saw the blood jerking out from you," Seifer said.

"While Seifer was fighting the Dragon, I managed to cure Squall but I had to totally destroy his jacket to take it off."

"Don't worry, I'll get myself another."

"No. It's time I use my powers for something else than battles."

Blue rings of energy appeared around her and moved to the top of her hands stretched out to Squall. He looked at himself when his chest and arms started glowing and something was appearing on him. When the light faded away, he had a new jacket, identical to his original one. Plus he had a clean T-shirt on. He looked at Coran in amazement as he clenched the leather jacket.

"Wow, thanks!"

She smiled, lifting a hand.

"No problem. I'm a good Sorceress after all! It's a relief your necklace wasn't slashed along because I'm not sure I would have been able to repair it."

"Why not?" Irvine asked, curious.

"Leather, it's a thing, platinum, it's another story. I'm just a Sorceress, not a goddess for Heaven's sake!"

They all laughed and kept talking until they arrived in Balamb. Then they hurried to the Garden. They split to get washed and change for the party, saying they would see each other there. Then Selphie and Coran went to see if they could add something to make the party even greater.

"I think it will be even greater than when I became a SeeD! But I think the lights could look cooler…"

"Oh! Like this maybe?"

Coran spread her arms up and sparkles went in the air and floated around. With the lights playing with the sparkles, it was making all kinds of colour.

"Wow!" Selphie exclaimed in admiration as she reached out to catch some sparkles. "Won't it be annoying?"

"Nope! See for yourself! You can't touch it."

After a quick observation, Selphie nodded.

"How can this be?"

"Illusions! And it will remain for the whole party!"

Selphie threw her arms around Coran's neck in excitement.

"Would you be my best friend? You're so cool!!"

Coran laughed along then the girls gasped as they looked at the time. They weren't dressed with their uniform because they were afraid they would messed it with the work they still had to do. They looked at each other and hurried for the dorms to get changed.

The party. The tiny sparkles were still floating around like a light mist. Everyone was amazed from it and some a bit reluctant of walking in it but they soon noticed it wasn't doing anything bad so they all enjoyed the party.

Rinoa arrived just a few minutes after Laguna who was there from the beginning, refusing to miss a second of this party. Rinoa was wearing a black sleeveless dress going down the floor and baring one of her leg from the top of the thigh to her feet. She was wearing black an inch heels shoes. She had her hair combed so that strands were hiding half of her face in the most seducing way ever seen by her friends. No makeup for her perfect beautiful face. Squall was amazed when he saw her. He blushed a little when he looked at himself. The same old SeeD uniform… Reading his mind once again, she told him that he was very handsome and sexy in that uniform. He smiled to her from the compliment before another voice talked in his mind, approving Rinoa all along. Squall and Rinoa quickly glanced around and saw Coran smiling their way with a wink.

The SeeD uniform was really suiting her as she was dancing with a SeeD… After a second look, Squall recognized Seifer. He couldn't believe his own eyes. He had his hair loose on his face, not brushed backward as usual and Squall noticed they were almost as long as his. He was a great dancer, he had to admit it. And he was looking very great in the SeeD uniform.

"Wow, that's Seifer??" Selphie exclaimed standing beside them. "He's dreamy!! And he looks soooo sexy in this uniform, don't you agree, Rinoa?" she turned to her friend.

"You bet!" she answered.

"Hey!" Squall protested feeling jealous.

Rinoa wrapped her arms around his neck and tiptoed to be only an inch from his face.

"But you're the one I want…" she whispered.

They kissed gently. Selphie sighed from boredom and walked away to find Irvine only to see him dancing with Quistis. The blond girl looked like she was very enjoying. With another sigh, Selphie walked to a black shoulder length haired guy with white strands. 

'Laguna sure looks cool tonight,' she thought. 'He even looks younger.'

Laguna had his hair loose like in the old time. He was dark blue jeans and a black T-shirt with a blue jacket. It wasn't like his clothes Selphie could remember from the Dream World but it was still cool. He was wearing black boots along. 

With a smile, Selphie walked to him.

"Mister President, would you care to dance?"

Laguna scratched the back of his head in confusion.

"Sorry, dear. I'm already engaged."

Coran came.

"You promised me the next dance father!"

She grabbed his hand and took him to dance room. He apologized to Selphie once again before following his daughter.

"Go easy! I'm not as young as you are. Plus I don't dance really well."

Selphie sighed one more time, not even willing to look around for Zell, as she knew he was eating or already with the ponytail girl. Selphie decided to wait until someone asks her for a dance and leant against a pillar, crossing her arms.

"Hum…dance with me?"

She turned her head in surprise when she saw Zell standing there. He held her a hand.

"Well? I thought it wasn't fair for you so, well here I am. Unless you don't want to…"

She quickly took his hand before he decides to leave and they went to dance together.

When the song changed once again, Coran went to Squall, Laguna close behind.

"You're not as bad as you said, Laguna," Squall said.

"At least he did better than you the first time, Squall," Rinoa giggled.

Coran giggled too when she remembered what was told to her about the graduation night. Squall blushed.

"Hey! What's so funny? You both know I did that on purpose!!"

Rinoa put her hand on Squall while Coran leant on his back.

"We're just teasing you!" they said in the same time.

Squall rolled his eyes up with a groan.

"Just great! Two Sorceresses around me communicating telepathically to drive me totally crazy!"

The four laughed before the song changed again. Laguna offered a hand to Rinoa.

"Do you mind dancing with your boyfriend's father?"

She took his hand with a smile. Coran took a cup of wine from a plate offered to her and Squall did the same. They both looked at the dancers.

"Hey! Not fair! He dances much better with her than with me!"

Squall giggled and put his cup on the table. Then he looked at his sister who was still staring at the dance floor. She spotted Seifer dancing with Quistis and felt jealous. The two blond were making a nice couple.

Squall couldn't believe how his sister was beautiful. Even if she was his relative, he could still tell she was a beautiful girl through the fact that she was looking just like him except for the scar. He was always thinking his face was pretty ordinary but seeing the similarities on a girl way was making it totally different. He went closer to her.

"Do you think it would look weird if we dance together?"

She looked at him and shrugged.

"I so don't care how it would look like!"

Excited, they both went on the floor and danced following the beat. It ended a bit too soon for Coran's taste and changed for a slow. Squall smiled to her and was about to leave but she retained him.

"Let's dance on that one…" she pleaded.

A bit uncomfortable, Squall looked around to see Rinoa dancing with Seifer, a bit too close for him. Selphie finally managed to get a dance from Irvine; Zell was dancing with his ponytail girl and Laguna with Quistis. Then he turned back to Coran and she just put her hands on his shoulders while he put his on the back of her waist. They stared at each other a second, feeling weird dancing with somebody looking the same than them. It was like dancing alone in front of a mirror.

"This is not good at all!" They said in the same time before giggling.

Not caring what people could say anymore, Coran wrapped her arms around her brother's neck and Squall held her tight in her back. She rested her head on his shoulder, feeling well. He had his head against hers. She could feel that embrace was nothing more than brotherly but it still made her secure and comfortable. When he tightened his embrace, she knew he was feeling the same. It was brotherly love making him hold her like that, attempting to protect her from any harm.

"You dance well, Squall," she whispered.

"You too."

The song ended and was changed for another one with more rhythm. Brother and sister smiled to each other and went to sit down again. The others soon joined them. Rinoa smiled to them as she took a cup of wine.

"Wasn't it weird for you to dance together?"

"You were dancing with Seifer!" Squall answered for an excuse.

"Hey, you had my girlfriend," the blond defended himself. "I thought it was just fair to take yours!"

The tension between the guys became thick. Coran stood between them.

"My, are you both jealous for nothing!! Come on, you're friends!"

Squall and Seifer laughed together.

"Don't worry, Coran. It's our usual way to say we have fun," Seifer explained.

Coran raised an eyebrow.

"Wow, it must be dangerous to have fun with you!"

Another slow started and this time Squall hurried for Rinoa. Coran went directly to Seifer.

"Are you coming?"

Seifer smiled.

"Order, I'll obey."

"Come, my Knight."

They walked to the dance floor. Coran wrapped her arms around Seifer's neck and he held her by the hips. They were staying an inch from each other.

"I was thinking of something more romantic," she said before snapping her fingers.

The lights faded so the whole room was almost in total darkness. Only few lights were still making the sparkles shine around the dancing couples.

"Much better," Seifer whispered before pulling her closer.

She rested her head on his chest and closed her eyes as he rested his cheek on her head.

"I love your hair," she whispered.

"I love you…"

She looked up to him with shining eyes. He bent over to kiss her but she lifted a finger and fireworks cracked above their head. Seifer looked up a while before looking back on Coran.

"You did that on purpose, didn't you?"

She nodded with a guilty smile.

"It doesn't work," he said bending over once again.

This time, nothing stopped him and their lips locked in a passionate kiss.

"No, no!" Edea shook her head. "You must do it step by step or you will lose yourself once again!!"

Coran moaned. She had a headache from all those teachings she had since 8:00 am this morning. Rinoa had insisted that Edea wanted to see her that day. She could barely concentrate she was still thinking of the past night, the party, Seifer…Seifer. He wanted so much to please her. That was scaring her though he wanted to please the Sorceress when he was manipulated but deep in her soul, she knew it wasn't for the same reasons. That's why he was sitting nearby on the beach at the orphanage. He had his hair loose like the past night and wasn't wearing his trenchcoat. Coran couldn't help staring at how the wind was playing with the strands of hair on his face. Here comes Squall sitting besides his friend and waving at her. She waved back as she was staring at his muscled chest under his white T-shirt. His steps were making the necklace jump to follow.

Rinoa buried a giggle in her mouth with her hands when she saw Edea shake her head with a discouraged frown.

"Coran!" she called.

The Sorceress quickly turned around and faced her mentor. 

"You may be stronger than me, but I'm still wiser! If you can't use your powers properly, you'll end up in a possessed like state just like before!"

Coran looked at her feet, sorry. Edea sighed and slowly shook her head.

"I know you're still young, maybe too young for such power…"

"She's no younger than me, Edea," Rinoa reminded.

"But she received her powers at a pretty younder age than you, my child."

Even if Rinoa wasn't raised in the orphanage with the others, Edea was still calling her her child. Just like Coran.

Edea looked at the guys who were still catching Coran's attention.

'Would you go away?' their Matron's voice spoke in their mind. 'You're disturbing Coran!'

Squall shrugged.

"Not our fault if she can't concentrate around us!"

Edea turned to Coran.

"He's right. You will probably attend most of your missions together so you must behave yourself in their presence."

"I know. I'm sorry Matron."

"I know those exercises I'm giving you are nothing for your power but you must do it for your own sake, for your friends'…for Seifer's…"

Coran looked at her beloved a moment and the moment when she deadly attacked him came back in her mind. She shook her head, promising herself that would never happen again. Then she turned to Edea and gave the elder Sorceress all her attention.

She ended up controlling her powers almost perfectly by the end of the day. Edea was very proud of her progress.

"Well done, child. We'll have more in a few days but I want you to practice every day."

"I'll do it in the Training Center with Seifer."

Seifer! She completely has forgotten about him. She looked where him and Squall were sitting at the beginning of the day, wondering if they would still be there but they weren't. Looking twice, she saw that there was something in the sand so she went to see what it was and saw Squall's clothes with Seifer's scattered there. She raised an eyebrow, wondering what would their clothes do on the shore when she heard laughs coming from the sea. She looked at the horizon and saw Squall, Seifer and Rinoa splashing each other. She wondered where they found their swimsuits then she thought the guys were probably wearing theirs under their clothes as Rinoa probably did the same too. It was incredibly hot outside and she cursed herself for not have thought about it too. The others noticed her at last.

"Hey, Coran!" Rinoa called. "Come along, the water is great!"

Coran made a move with her hand as a no with a smile. Squall said something to their friends and swam her way. She sat on the sand with bare feet when he came out of the sea. He shook his head purposely her way to soak her up with his hair.

"Hey! Cut it out!" she giggled.

He bent down her, his hands on his knees. She could clearly see how muscled his chest was and how bronze his skin was from the sun. She wondered if she would ever look like that as a SeeD. 

Droplets kept falling from his body on her face.

"Why don't you come along?"

"I didn't bring my swimsuit."

"So what? You're a Sorceress, make one like you made me a jacket."

Her eyes widened and shone as she realized he was right. She slapped her forehead.

"How come I didn't think about it before?!"

"Just do it!"

She got up and was engulfed in a blue fire. Her clothes slipped on the sand and when the fire disappeared, she was wearing a blue one-piece swimsuit. She looked at herself.

"Does it suits me?"

Squall looked at her from top to bottom and nodded.

"Just perfect, now let's go!"

He grabbed her hand and ran in the water, laughing with her. When they had their feet in the water, he turned to her in a defying way.

"Shall we race?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing!"

"On your mark…get set…go!"

They swam as fast as they could to their cheering beloved. 

"Even!" Seifer and Rinoa said when Coran and Squall arrived.

Seifer took Coran in his arms and Squall joined Rinoa.

"Are you happy with your new life?" Seifer asked Coran.

She nodded quickly before Seifer put a wet kiss on her lips.

Yes, she was happy. To have a home she wasn't afraid to stay in, a family who cares for her and friends she wasn't afraid would left her for being adopted was all she ever wanted. The four teens splashed each other again and again before the sunsets and they reluctantly came out of the water. They dried up before heading back to Balamb Garden. Her boyfriend with his arm around her shoulders on a side, her brother on the other with his girlfriend who was her friend too, she knew nothing could make her more happy than she already was. With them and all the others by her side, she knew she would never feel hatred or anger and lose herself to evil anymore…

The End

Carole Marceau

May 11 2000, 7:10 p.m.

Author's note: it didn't take me long to write this story. It's the first story I do right on computer because usually, I write it on paper first. I was getting pretty confused around the last chapters. I wasn't sure if they were right but I think I came out with something good. It's the first time I'm happy with the epilogue; it's just what I wanted! I just didn't think it would be that long…

Dedicate: I would like to dedicate it to my best friend Adam. Why? Because the part Squall and Coran dance together reminded me of the first and only dance we had together. Even as brother and sister, they would still dance a slow together so why as best friends wouldn't we dance again?

If you liked this story, I'm glad and if you didn't, well forgive me! I still ask you to look forward my next already under construction FF8 fics! It would be 'A SeeD's Memories' or 'Haunted'. I started both but none of them is finished. To give you a taste of what it will be, look for the resumes following. I guess Haunted will be the next one because it shouldn't be very long…I think.

Here it goes!

Haunted

This story occurs…let's see…two years after the events from FF8. Squall and Rinoa are married for a little more than a year and Rinoa is eight months pregnant since the day just before Squall left for an important mission with the others. He doesn't know about Rinoa's state. An event is gonna turn her life upside down and no matter how hard it is, she'll have to deal with it.

A SeeD's Memories

Squall's writing his own story about his childhood with the help of his friends, Edea and Ellone for the parts he was too young or that he forgot because of the GFs. It's like an ordinary story except he adds some commentaries through. That writing is to help him understand better his own life…even if he doesn't really wants to…

So? How does it sound? Send me your comments if you have any! See ya! 


End file.
